Mrs Jack Sparrow
by Mlle. Phoenix Fox
Summary: An ordinary school teacher if forced into marriage of our favorite pirate captain. JackOC COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N: This is one of the first fan fics I ever wrote. i think it's good, but Jack might be a touch OOC even though I tried to keep him in character. Read and review_**

**_peace,love and lipgloss, _**

**_Mlle.Fox_**

Mrs. Jack Sparrow

The full moon was shining brightly over Port Royal. The Caribbean breeze caused the lush greenery around the island to sway lazily about the cobblestones and the thatched roofs of the trade city. Fort Charles loomed over the waves like a fierce master looking down his nose arrogantly at his servants in his stiff, bland suit of slate. The docks were quiet, the tide was out, and only a few lazy drunken sailors lay watch over the ships and boats in the harbor.

But what is that? That tall, lean figure creeping about in the shadows? You know that one who just tripped, stubbing his toe? As he gets up you can see some colorful beads about his long dark locks flash in the moonlight. He is untying a small boat. He turns and looks over his shoulder. He is a recognizable chap! But no, it could not possibly be the man who ransacked Nassau without firing a single shot, the man who escaped under the noses of seven East Indian Trading Company agents or the man who killed the cursed Barbossa and sent his crew to the gallows. It could not possibly be…

"Jack Sparrow." said Commodore James Norrington cocking his pistol behind Sparrow's head from where he was crotched untying the boat. Jack winced and looked over his shoulder up at the long, trim, elegant figure that was the young, blue eyed, wigged Commodore. As a variety of redcoat soldiers came up behind the Commodore pointing their rifles at him, Jack straightened up a little and with all the dignity he could muster and with a little humor thrown in for good measure replied,

"CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow, if you please." The handsome officer smugged,

"Well, I do not see your ship, Captain." Jack smirked,

"I'm in the market, as it were."

"Indeed." said the Commodore dryly before looking to his right and nodding to two soldiers who lowered their rifles and came forward to grab Jack and pull him to his feet.

"We really must stop meeting like this Commodore!" said Jack.

"Well we wouldn't if you would stick around long enough for me to hang you." said Norrington.

"Well, that don't give me reason to hang around then now does it?" quipped Jack. Un-cocking his pistol and putting his hands behind his back, Norrington replied,

"It's a pity Sparrow that we did not meet under different circumstances. I might have found your humor good enough to strike up a friendship."

"Ah but there is hope Commodore."

"Why's that?"

"There's always the hope you might go on account and become a pirate yourself." said Jack cocking his head to the right as a soldier behind Norrington released a quick laugh before a glare in his direction shut him up.

"Luckily for me that will never happen. Unluckily, you will never live to figure that out. Take him away!" said Norrington.

"NO!" Norrington stopped at the sound of a feminine voice from behind some crates at the docks. A figure ran out from behind them, skirts trailing and arms rising to defend herself as a soldier caught the figure who was shouting,

"I WON'T LET YOU! LET HIM GO!" Watching the soldier struggle with the young woman, a roar erupted from Sparrow,

"UNHAND HER YOU CAD!" Norrington cocked his pistol and shot straight into the air causing all to be silent. He looked at the woman still being held back by the soldier, and then he looked to Sparrow and found himself taken aback at the change in his demeanor. Gone was the calm, cunning if not cocky man he had chased for over two years. In his place burned a man whose strength and fury threatened to erupt. The soldiers struggled to hold him back. He breathed in short rapid breaths, and his eyes once a dark and closed book, were opened wide with anger and …no…that could not be love, could it? Norrington saw Sparrow's eyes flash in concern and that same look towards the young woman. It was love. Norrington had a similar look before, but not with Sparrow's depth and intensity. He looked back at the young woman who was also out of breath and eyes flashing with love towards Sparrow. Norrington looked her over. A pretty enough young lady. Long wavy brown hair streaked with golden sun, a slim yet full figure, once fair skin now beginning to brown into a nice tan. Full pink lips and blue green catlike eyes finished her face. Then he heard Sparrow say through gritted teeth,

"Touch one hair on her head Norrington and you will answer to me!" Norrington turned back to Sparrow and said,

"I wound not even dream of it, Sparrow. And besides you are in no position to threaten me!" Unsatisfied, Sparrow shut his mouth and fumed. Norrington turned back to the girl and nodded to his man to release her. Defeated, she stood there desperately looking between Jack and the Commodore. Gently, Norrington said,

"What is your name, miss?" She lifted her chin and looked him in the eye and said,

"Mrs. Jack Sparrow…and proud to be." The soldiers began to mutter and question as Norrington lifted an eyebrow and followed her gaze to Sparrow who's eyes spoke with pride, affirmation, and longing towards the girl even though the guards still struggled to restrain him. Sparrow? Captain Jack Sparrow taking a wife? Surely this could not be the same man who had made inappropriate advances to Elizabeth Swann two years ago or the man known for taking a prostitute or two a night while docked for 'pleasurable company'.

'Only one way to find out.' thought Norrington. Turning back to the woman, he said,

"Well then, _Madam_. If you would be so kind as to allow me to escort you to the Fort, maybe you can answer some questions for me." The woman looked to Jack who nodded. Then she smiled weakly,

"I'd be delighted, sir." Norrington stepped forward as he began to lead the girl to his carriage, when Sparrow said,

"Commodore!" Looking back to him, Norrington said,

"Yes, Captain?"

"Being the gentleman you are, you treat my wife like the lady she is, Savvy?" Norrington nodded to the man with the dangerous glint in his eye and then lead the woman inside the carriage along with two other officers. The remaining marines pushed Sparrow into the back of a simple cart and sat down surrounded him making sure he would not escape. As both vehicles started towards the fort, the Commodore studied the woman seated across from him who was at the moment looking through the rear window at the following cart with longing.

'Her voice speaks of an educated tongue, but not of one that is upper society. Definitely not a lady of the night, for she would have offered herself for Sparrow by now if not for her own sake. There might be truth to the tale. After all, she is wearing one of Sparrow's rings on her left hand. But why would a man like Sparrow take a wife? We shall see.' thought the Commodore.

After a few minutes they finally stopped inside the fort. As Norrington stepped out and began to help the alleged Mrs. Sparrow down, Jack was being forcefully pulled down to the cells. She tried to rush forward to him, but Norrington put a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"You will see him soon enough, Madam. If you would follow me, please." said Norrington taking her arm and leading her inside to his plain but organized office. Taking off his hat and dismissing his soldiers, he pointed to a chair in front of his desk saying,

"Please have a seat …Mrs. Sparrow." As they both sat down she said,

"So you believe I am married to Jack like I said?"

"Until I hear otherwise, I shall have to call you Mrs. Sparrow, madam. Would you care for a drink?" asked the Commodore gesturing towards his liquor cabinet. She scrunched up her nose and shook her head no.

'Well, she doesn't share Sparrow's drinking habits!' mused Norrington.

"So," he said, "Is it true that you and Sparrow are married?" he asked.

"You certainly don't beat around the bush do you?" she said with a hint of humor. Then she sighed and continued,

"Yes Commodore. We are married. I have on my person our marriage contract and license, if you would allow me to take them out."

"I have your word that you won't pull a weapon on me?" asked Norrington.

"You have."

"Then proceed madam." She pulled a stack of rumpled documents from her money pouch and handed them over to the Commodore. He smoothed them out and read their contents. Sure enough, this was a legitimate document. He could tell a forgery when he saw one. He read aloud,

"_On this, the twentieth day of March in the yeah of our Lord, sixteen hundred and seventy-five, In the town of St. Paul in the colonies of His Majesty King Charles the Second, Captain Jack Sparrow was wed to Miss Victoria Baker…_Baker? Wasn't there a school teacher who disrupted the peace there and was asked to leave by the name of Baker?" asked Norrington. Victoria smiled,

"The town did not ask me to leave St. Paul Commodore…they tricked me into marriage with a pirate so I could be taken away." Norrington's eyes widen.

"Tricked? How is one tricked into marriage? Especially with a pirate? And if you were tricked then why did you just defend him minutes ago?"

"If you will allow me Commodore, I will tell you the tale. The tale with enough adventure, intrigue and romance to last for a lifetime. I will tell you how I married and fell in love with Captain Jack Sparrow on one condition." she said.

"And that would be?"

"I only tell you enough of the tale for thirty minutes a night. Until my tale is finished you can not hang my husband. Do we have an accord?" asked Victoria. Norrington could not help but smile. Now he saw the attraction. This was a woman who matched Sparrow's often underestimated intelligence beautifully.

"Very well. But you may not see Sparrow until the story is told." said Norrington. Her face fell but she nodded anyway.

"Then begin your tales Shahrzad, and entertain me." joked Norrington leaning back. She took a breath and sighed,

"The best place to begin is the beginning I suppose…"



"_I was orphaned at the age of fourteen; after which I continued my education. I had no other choice really. My family was not a rich one. Father's insurance would only pay enough for me to finish school. Mother had a small dowry saved up for me, which helped but not by much. Luckily, Father's employers were fond of him, so they saw to it I had what I needed to live while I attended school. So upon graduation, I took the first job offered to me by the major of St. Paul who was in London visiting his cousin at the time. And upon hearing the town was in the Caribbean, and I always dreamt of travel, I was delighted. I was to be the next school teacher in the small port town. The only school teacher in town. I had no problems and neither did the children whom I grew to love dearly, but the townsfolk of St. Paul do not take to strangers easily…" _


	2. Chapter 2

"_I was orphaned at the age of fourteen; after which I continued my education. I had no other choice really. My family was not a rich one. Father's insurance would only pay enough for me to finish school. Mother had a small dowry saved up for me, which helped but not by much. Luckily, Father's employers were fond of him, so they saw to it I had what I needed to live while I attended school. So upon graduation, I took the first job offered to me by the major of St. Paul who was in London visiting his cousin at the time. And upon hearing the town was in the Caribbean, and I always dreamt of travel, I was delighted. I was to be the next school teacher in the small port town. The only school teacher in town. I had no problems and neither did the children whom I grew to love dearly, but the townsfolk of St. Paul do not take to strangers easily…" _

Almost one year ago…

If one were to look down the farmers market of St. Paul, one would assume that the town was very large and populated. But the truth was the Farmer's Market was on the only street in town; the rest being the houses of the local colonists. On this day a simple farmer nodded in approval to his wife and children. He liked the look of this place; and since the moment he left the neighboring village two days ago, he had hoped he would. He walked up to a tall, thin pale old woman with a mop of dirty water for hair tied into a bun. As she examined the fish, he said to her,

"Excuse me M'lady. But where can one find the major to inquire about moving to your town?" Without turning around she said briskly,

"Ye have children sir?"

"Why yes." She harrumphed and sighed,

"And you wish to send them to school, I wager?"

"Aye, M'lady."

"Well don't if you value their education!" she said. Brows knitted in confusion he said,

"I don't understand."

"We've got this young girl teaching the wee ones. And a crummy job she's doing of it if you ask me. Fills their heads with nonsense she does. Encourages them to daydream and waste precious time 'exploring'. Humph! Encouraging them to be busybodies if you ask me!"

"Well then why isn't she dismissed?" asked the farmer. This time the woman turned and glared down her beak like nose from behind her spectacles at him and then a glance to his children before saying,

"Unfortunately the children love her. And the parents around here spoil the brats so that they tolerate her foolishness. But that will change. The major has promised that upon the next complaint he hears about her, he'll think of a way to get rid of her without having the children cause trouble."

"How could little children cause trouble?"

"Like the last time the town threatened to get rid of her, of course. By running around, vandalizing, refusing to go to school and even running away into the woods! So to make sure the children don't cause any trouble, the major has to think of a way to get rid of her so the kids will think she has to go. I have no children, but If I did, I wouldn't want them to be taught by Miss Victoria Baker!" she said paying the fish merchant and stuffing the parcel in her basket and walking off. Then the school bell rang marking the start of the school day. The woman, a Miss Devon by name searched the crowd and met her eyes with a short round woman with black candlestick like hair tucked into a bonnet. They nodded and began to walk side by side down the street to the schoolhouse.

"Miss Devon!"

"Mrs. Murphy!" replied Devon as they continued.

"_And that was pretty much the opinion of the whole town. The children weren't spoiled but they did know a good teacher when they saw one and they weren't going to give me up so quickly. So there I stood on the front step of the schoolhouse welcoming the children. I lived in the rooms adjacent to the house with the servant the town gave me upon my arrival, Margarite. Oh how I miss that kind old black woman! She was the only other mother I ever had! Every morning she and I would prepare the classroom, and talk about what was to be done today. She would ring the bell as I stood greeting the children…"_

"Good Morning, Carol!" said Victoria with her hands clasped in front of her gray dress and a smile on her round face. As the little girl rushed by with blonde hair bouncing, she said,

"Good Morning, Miss Baker!"

"Good Morning, Ralph!"

"Good Morning Miss Baker!"

"Morning, Fred!"

"Mornin' Miss!"

"Morning, Lucy!"

"Good Morning, Miss!" As the rest of the children filed in, Victoria heard a voice say,

"AYE! Let me be, Johnson!" Victoria rolled her eyes as she saw the approaching Truant Officer Sam Johnson drag Billy Kelly, a small boy with red hair and brown freckles, by the scruff of his neck.

"Good Morning Truant Officer Johnson." greeted Victoria with a nod. The tall gray man with impressive muttonchops of white stopped and nodded,

"Miss Baker."

"Al' righ'! She 'as me now! So turn me loose!" cried Billy. Victoria smirked and put his fists on her hips.

"What's he done this time, Officer Johnson?"

"Was just dilly-dallying by the beach Miss. I had to make sure he got off to school knowing him!" said the man.

"Very well. I'll take it from here!" said Victoria as Billy was released and ran up to hide behind Victoria's skirts.

"I don't know why he still wants to play pokey seeing as to how the children take on to you so ma'am. Especially after the 'incident' last spring!" said the Officer.

"Well I'll have a word with him." said Victoria. The officer tipped his hat and walked off as Victoria took Billy inside saying,

"Well?"

"I's was just exploring Miss Baker, 'onest I was!"

"Save the exploring for after school, Understood?" asked Victoria as Billy nodded. Ruffling his hair, she sent Billy to his seat. Margarite stood looking out the window. Victoria asked,

"Is he gone, Margarite?" Pulling back the curtains, the coffee colored woman said,

"He's gone, but here come Miss Devon and Mrs. Murphy!"

"Oh bother! All right children, you know the drill!" And with that all the children stood up behind their desks and quietly and patiently waited for Victoria to make her way towards the front of the room. The oldest boy at thirteen, Tommy stood by her chair. Pulling out her chair for her like a gentlemen, she addressed Tommy by saying,

"Thank you Tommy. You may take your seat. Now class pull out your math books and recite your times tables." The class sat down and did as they were told. The two women approached the school and looked in the window.

"Well, it seems like nothing's going on!" said Murphy.

"Mark my word, there's funny business to be had!" said Devon.

"ONE TIMES ONE IS ONE, TWO TIMES TWO IS FOUR, THREE TIMES THREE IS NINE, FOUR TIMES FOUR IS SIXTEEN…" recited the children from within. Shrugging the women turned and walked away. Margarite bent down to watch them walk off.

"EIGHT BY EIGHT IS SIXTY-FOUR,"

"They're gone!" said Margarite. The children cheered

"YAY!" Victoria laughed and slumped in her chair,

"Thank goodness! If I had to go through that idiotic recitation one more time I would have screamed!" The children laughed.

"I like how you taught us multiplication, Miss Baker! With one of your songs!" said the littlest brunette with a fancy pick gown on.

"Aye! So what are we going to do today, Miss Baker?" asked Fred.

"Something with pirates I's 'ope!" said Billy. The class groaned.

"Oh Billy! You and your pirates!" tutted Victoria getting up.

"So what are we going to do, Miss Baker?" asked Carol.

"Weelll…"said Victoria pulling out her guitar and the children squealed with delight.

"We have needed to spruce up on our multiplication tables…but maybe we'll just read aloud from those edicate books." said Victoria. The children looked over to the heavy, dusty books lying in a corner in disgust.

"NO!" they cried. Then Victoria laughed and started to play. Soon the children bobbed their heads to the melody. Victoria began to sing,

"_One day the Couple called One had a baby named…"_

"One!" said the children.

"_the Two's had a boy named…"_

"Four!"

"_The Three's had a…" "_Nine!" "_Sixteen was the baby of the couple of…"_

"Four!"

"_And that is how math can be fun!" _sang Victoria. The children repeated,

"And that is how math can be fun!" repeated the children.



"…_And that was how my life was. My students made me happy. But later that day as we laid out heads down for what I like to call "Day dream time", I fell asleep by accident and had this mysterious dream…"_

Victoria opened her eyes and above her laid a face. She knew he was handsome, but he could not make him out. She only saw his eyes. Deep, mysterious, warm, brown eyes. He leaned in to kiss her…

Only Victoria awoke with a start. As she began to realize where she was, the class giggled. She smiled,

"All right you terrors, how long I've been out? You know our deal. No secrets!"

"About five minutes!" piped Tommy up. The class laughed again.

"I didn't say anything?" asked Victoria. They all shook their heads no.

"Why Miss Baker? Did you have a dream?" asked Carol.

"Well…"

"Uh-uh ah! No secrets!" said Lucy wagging her finger. Victoria sighed.

"I dreamt…I was kissing someone." said Victoria. The boys scrunched up their faces in disgust, some rolling their eyes while the girls squealed and giggled. Margarite nodded and said with an all knowing twinkle,

"Ah ha."

"How romantic!" sighed Bessie, the girl with the pink dress her chin in her hand.

"Who was it Miss Baker?" asked Lucy.

"It couldn't have been anyone in St. Paul. There are no young men to marry." said Carol. Bessie smiled and looked around the room.

"Not yet!" she said. The girls giggled and the boys protested.

"If you girls want someone to marry, marry Tommy! He's old enough!" said Fred.

"They can't 'ave 'im. E's too busy waiting for Miss Baker to notice 'im!" joked Billy leaving the class to laugh and Tommy to turn red and hiss,

"Shut up!" Victoria stood up and walked around to the front of the desk. Leaning against her desk, she said,

"That's enough Billy!"

"But really Miss Baker, who was it?" asked Lucy.

"I don't know I couldn't see his face." said Victoria in wonder.

"Can we go outside Miss Baker? Down to the beach? You promised we could!" cried Ralph. Grateful for how children change the subject so quickly in a conversation, she nodded yes and the class cheered.

Fifteen minutes later, Margarite and Victoria peeked around from the backdoor of the house looking around. Then very quietly they ushered the children down the trail leading to the beach that was no more than fifty yards away. Victoria looked around the trail constantly. The parents did not like the idea of their children leaving the school. Even when Victoria tried to gain their permission, they said no and that they should be reading their edicate books instead. Victoria hated the idea of sneaking around but the beach was the ideal place to teach the children about nature and science. And besides she preferred her method of teaching edicate anyway. By playing a game where the children pretended to be members of high society having a party was much more effective than a boring old edicate book with no imagination whatsoever. As they reached the beach, the waves crashed upon the sand to greet them.

"All right children! Now stay with in our prearranged parameters and don't go into the ocean. In twenty minutes meet Margarite and myself up here and come back with what you find and tell us what you saw. And remember…"said Victoria as they all took off their socks and shoes and tucked up their skirts appropriately.

"DON'T TOUCH ANY JELLYFISH, SHARKS, OR PIRATES!" recited the children. Soon they all went exploring the beach leaving Victoria to take a seat in the warm white sand next to Margarite. For a few minutes, all was quiet between the two, but then Margarite spoke up,

"So you dreamt of a kiss, ay?" Victoria sighed,

"Aye!"

"That good hmm?" asked Margarite slyly looking at the young woman out of the corner of her eye. Victoria laughed,

"Yes but it was only a dream. I've never kissed anyone before in my life!"

"If it not be of the past, then it be of the future then." said Margarite.

"Margarite, "warned Victoria. "Twas only a dream!"

"Dreams always mean something!" said Margarite.

"So a kiss in a dream means it's going to happen?" questioned Victoria with skepticism in her voice.

"No, not if you couldn't see who you was kissing." said Margarite.

"Well there you go!" said Victoria ready to dismiss it.

"That dream means you want it to happen!" said Margarite. Victoria flushed,

"Oh."

"Don't be embarrassed girl. You are a woman. Every woman feels the urge to be kissed and be romanced now and again. "said Margarite patting Victoria's hand. Victoria shrugged,

"I suppose I do want it to happen. Just once."

"Be careful girl. Not many women can fall in love once and be ready to never fall again if the romance fails." said Margarite.

"Yes Margarite." said Victoria as she smiled, half at Margarite and half at the children chasing a seagull. Once again they were silent for a few moments when Margarite spoke again.

"Now if you could see one feature about the person you was kissing, then that means it will happen in the future." she said not looking at Victoria. Victoria thought back to the dream man's eyes.

"And if he had beautiful brown eyes?" questioned Victoria. Margarite turned her head to her and said,

"Then I wouldn't be surprised if you had children with beautiful brown eyes." Smiling at the old black woman, Victoria stood up and called,

"All right children! Come tell me about that seagull you were chasing!" Soon the children came over and sat down by the two women and began to relate to her their adventures. Then Victoria looked at their faces and said,

"Wait a moment, where's Billy?" Bessie stood up and pointed towards the surf,

"He's over there, Miss Baker, probably being naughty!" Victoria stood and walked over to where the young boy stood looking out onto the ocean.

"Billy? Come over and … what are you looking at?" She turned her head from the boy's face that was shocked with glee and looked over the water. There on the horizon line, was sailing a large, black, square-rigged galleon with black sails billowing. She got an uneasy feeling as she took Billy by the shoulder and led him away saying,

"Children! Let's return to the classroom and finish our discussion! We'll come back another day!" As the children groaned and began to recollects their effects, she took one more look at the intimidating ship pass by.



"The Black Pearl." stated the Commodore plainly. Victoria nodded.

"If I may continue?" she asked.

"By all means, sultana!" said the Commodore amused but not offensive.



_"Meanwhile, the townsfolk were plotting my 'dismissal', at that very moment…"_

"Mr. Major, You must do something about that Baker girl!" said Miss Devon with her hands on her hips.

"Yes, we saw the classroom empty…again!" said Mrs. Murphy.

"You know what that means!" said Devon smirking.

"Yes ladies, it means she's taken them down to the beach again. And it means I shall keep my word and dismiss her without the children getting upset. But how?" asked the short hairy man stroking his trimmed beard.

"Oh, just fire her! So what if the children cry? You can't baby them, they must get over it!" snapped Devon.

"Excuse me Miss, but I do not wish for a repeat of 'the incident'!" said the Major.

"Too bad you just can't marry her off! Shame about being no young men in this town!" said Mrs. Murphy. Devon rolled her eyes,

"Tell me about it!" she muttered. Suddenly, one of the guards came in and exclaimed,

"Major Jacobs! A band of pirates have been caught by old Farmer Phillips!" Rushing out to follow him, the Major said,

"Excuse me Ladies!"

"HEY! We are not through here!" huffed Miss Devon chasing after him.

"Miss Devon!" shouted Mrs. Murphy chasing after her.

'How embarrassing!' thought Captain Jack Sparrow beating on the bars of the only cell in St. Paul with a spoon. 'Being caught by Norrington, well that is at least somewhat respectable, but to be caught by an old man who's musket looks older than he? Inconceivable! Incomprehensible! And downright unfortunate.' Then he heard Gibbs, his first mate with furry muttonchops mutter,

"We'll steal the old coots' wagon and creep into town, he says. Pretend to be farmers and wait till everyone's down at the pub, he says. Everyone in a small town gathers at the pub, he says. Then we'll just hold the place up he says. Did he say anything about the old coot having a gun? Nooo!" Jack then looked over to Anamaria, his boson. The black woman huffed across at him in smoldering fury. He tried to grin his famous gold-ridden grin, but only received a vicious glare instead. He quickly wiped the smirk off and gulped. He was definitely getting slapped sometime soon. Suddenly, the Captain of the local guard returned to the jail followed closely by an old elegant gentleman and two old bittys buzzing around the man until they saw the pirates and went ghostly silent. The old man stepped forward saying,

"Well, well, well! What do we have here?" Jack stood up and leaned against the bars and shrugged,

"Oh not much. Just a few tourists passing through who find the welcome and the accommodations wanting. And yourself?" The old man grinned,

"Well I find the accommodations very suitable for a fine pirate like you sir. And if you don't believe me, just wait until the Royal Guard gets here. They'll be all too happy to tell you how St. Paul's jail is so much more comfortable than the one at Fort Charles."

"Oh I've been there. And it was certainly a lot more accommodating than this. I mean you don't even have a room with a view! The one at Fort Charles at least has this little window that overlooks the bay." said Jack in all good humor. At this the Major chuckled.

"Very good! A pirate with a sense of humor!" said the Major before Miss Devon said to him,

"Mr. Major, we must continue discussing our little 'problem'. "

"Not now, Miss." said the Major as Jack frowned at this.

"Now what's your name?" asked the Major.

"Smith. Or Smithy if you like." said Jack.

"No! Your real name!" Suddenly, the Constable came in dragging a little boy with red hair by the scruff of the neck.

"Come on you! You're going to scrub my floors to pay for that glass you broke!"

"I's said I's was sorry!" said Billy.

"Not now, Constable!" said the Major as Billy eyed the pirates in the cell. His jaw dropped as he said,

"Captain Jack Sparrow!" As Anamaria and Gibbs stood up, Jack pounded his head on the bars in exasperation in one metallic whack. The Major looked curiously between the young boy and the pirate captain. Mrs. Murphy asked,

"How do you know this man, Billy?" Miss Devon huffed,

"Probably from that Baker girl!" Jack eyed her curiously as Billy glared at her and said,

"No! Teacher don't approve of reading 'bout pirates in class! Me Dad told me tales of the greatest pirate who ever lived!" At this The Major smirked at Jack who sheepishly grinned.

"Did he now? So tell me Billy, did your father tell you what Captain Sparrow looked like?" asked the Major folding his hands behind his back.

"Yes sir. Down to every last bead in 'is 'air!" said Billy. Another metallic whack came from the bars of the cell.

"Excellent! Thank you Billy! Now you…"the Major stopped at an idea. An idea that would solve all of his problems! He kneeled down before the lad and said,

"Now Billy, listen carefully! You mustn't tell a soul about this! Captain Sparrow has told us that if he isn't given his freedom in twenty-four hours, his men who are waiting in the hills will ransack the town unless we give in to his demands!" At this everyone's jaws dropped, Billy's in fear and the rest in shock and confusion. All except Jack who wondered what the old man was up to.

"Yes sir!" And at that, Billy ran out and towards the pub. As the Major stood back up Jack said,

"Ye think that was wise, Mr. Major? You know the lad will blab to the first person he sees."

"I'm counting on it Mr. Sparrow." said the Major.

"Captain, Captain Sparrow!" said Jack.

"Captain, since I detest calling the Royal Guard how would you and your shipmates like your freedom?" asked the Major.

"Why do you hate to call the Royal Guard?" asked Jack.

"Too much paperwork. Besides, St. Paul is a quite little city that does not need the inconvenience and the honor of the Royal Guard coming through." said the Major.

"Or…perhaps the reason you don't want the Royal Guard coming thru is they might find a little funny business from within the Town Hall and thus ruining your sweet little setup here." offered Jack. The Major's cheery demeanor dropped at this and satisfied Jack asked cautiously,

"What's the catch?" The Major's ever present smile returned.

"We have in our town, a young Miss Victoria Baker who is the local school teacher. We can not dismiss her so she must be…taken away." said the Major.

"And you want the pirate captain to kidnap her I suppose?" said Jack.

"Exactly!" said the Major.

"Absolutely not!" cried Miss Devon.

"Mr. Major, we may not like Miss Baker, but we don't want to see her reputation destroyed by a filthy pirate!" said Mrs. Murphy making a disgusted face at Jack who returned the look.

"But…if the Captain were to marry the girl, at least when people hear her tale they would think she would be very brave for sacrificing herself for the sake of the town!" said Devon. The Major exclaimed,

"Brilliant!"

"Ohh NO! Captain Jack Sparrow is not the marrying kind, Savvy?" cried Jack.

"You will be if you want your freedom." said the Major.

"I'd rather tie the knot with a noose than some mousy little git!" said Jack.

"Very well!" said the Major turning to leave.

"But…can't you get one of the towns' young men to marry her off to?" The Major smiled triumphantly and turned back saying,

"There are none."

"How about an old one then?" asked Jack.

"Nope." Jack smiled, raised his eyebrows and pointed a finger out of the cell.

"What if I told you I'm already married?"

"Then I'd have to remind you you've already said you're not a marrying man." Jack winced and said weakly,

"I don't suppose you'd believe I'm engaged do you?"

"You'd rather tie the knot with a noose than some mousy little git, is what I think you'd said?" said the Major. Defeated Jack knew there was no way to talk himself out of this. Especially not with the lives of his crew involved. Sighing he looked down to the floor and said,

"Fine. Tell the good people of St. Paul that unless you give me the girl by sunset tomorrow, I'll keelhaul every last one of them, Savvy?" Rubbing his hands together, the Major grinned devilishly,

"Marvelous! Get a good night sleep then Captain. After all, tomorrow is your wedding day!" And with that he walked out of the jail with the women and constable in tow. After they left, Gibbs said shaking his head,

"Jack! You? Marry a skirt? Ow! Blast ye woman!" As Gibbs rubbed his arm where Anamaria hit him, she said,

"Well, I thought I'd never live to see the day!"

"Don't have much choice then do I? Aw well might as well make the best out of a bad situation." At this he addressed the guard, who was preparing to step outside for a smoke,

"Aye mate? How about a bottle of rum for my Bachelor party, ey?" The guard just glared at him and stepped out. Undeterred, Jack stepped away from the bars and looked at Anamaria saying,

"Right then. In that case, Ana! Strip down to your skivvies and entertain us!"

SNAP!

Jack was right. He was going to get slapped today.



Captain Sparrow was also right about another thing. The whole town of St. Paul from the young to the old gathered at the Pub for the town gossips, the ale and of course Old Joe's famous stews. Joe's young son Tommy rushed about filling orders. He had to since his mother got sick. But then Young Billy Kelly ran in shouting,

"Pirates! PIRATES!" Everyone groaned.

"Not again!"

"No sir, tis true! Cap'n Jack Sparrow and 'is crew 'ave surrounded the town and they're gonna ransack us all in a day's time! The Major told me true enough!" cried Billy.

"Tis true ladies and gentlemen." said the Major in a somber voice at the doorway. Everyone grew silent as Billy said,

"E'll tell you! Won't you Mr. Major!" The Major came in and patted Billy on the shoulder.

"Captain Sparrow is holding this town hostage. He tricked my men into letting them capture him so that he could give his men (who are hiding in the hills as we speak waiting to attack) an excuse to kill us all! However, God granted us mercy. All we have to do is give the Captain one thing and he will vow never to set foot in our waters again." said the Major.

"What's that?" someone asked.

"Miss Victoria Baker." said the Major. This sent the people into chaotic murmurs. Raising a hand he said,

"He saw her down at the beach and decided he wanted her. I know it's wrong asking her to give herself up like this, but I have reached an agreement with Captain Sparrow that might ease our souls. And it might spare her future reputation and have folks think her a brave soul than a common strumpet (Begging your pardon, ladies). So tomorrow, at sunset, Miss Baker will wed the Captain." This sent the room once more into chaos. His second part of the plan completed, he looked to Old Joe's boy Tommy and said,

"Lad, go to Miss Baker, and tell her I have something to discuss with her now and that I am on my way." As Tommy ran out, a man said,

"And if Miss Baker refuses?"

"Then God help us all!" said the Major before walking out.

Victoria lit her candle sending the room into brightness. She and Margarite had just snuggled into bed when a loud pounding began upon her door. As she sat up, she saw Margarite walk into the other room to open the door. Slipping on her dressing gown, Victoria said,

"Margarite, who is it?"

"Tis Master Tommy!" cried Margarite as the boy rushed into the parlor saying,

"I have to tell Miss Baker something!" Victoria stepped into the room clutching the simple robe around her saying,

"Tommy! Slow down and tell me what's wrong!"

"I can't tell you what's wrong Miss. Only the Major can."

"The Major? What the devil could he want at this hour?" asked Victoria looking to Margarite.

"Can't say Miss. He told me to tell you he's coming in a few minutes."

"Well aren't you a basket of riddles tonight!" mused Victoria.

"Here boy! Sit down, you're trembling like a leaf afraid of his own shadow!" ordered Margarite directing the boy to the chair. Victoria sat down next to him saying,

"Brew up some tea, Margarite. The Major might be thirsty and Tommy needs something to steady his nerves."

"Yes, Miss." said Margarite going over to the cabinets. Victoria tried to coax the boy into telling her something but he only keep saying,

"The Major can tell you." Soon the Major did come. And he did tell her what was wrong. And she in reply said,

"But I CAN'T!"

"You must, my dear. For the town! For the children!" he said clutching her hands in his. Victoria looked to Margarite who was crying and mumbling her native tongue into her hand. Then she looked at the Major, his old eyes pleading with her. Finally she settled on Tommy who was shaking with the fury of a man and crying the tears of a child. She hung her head and whispered,

"For the children."

"NO! Don't you do it Miss Baker! I won't let you! You can't!" said Tommy. Victoria stood up and gathered him in her arms shushing him as he said,

"You can't…you can't…you can't leave us!"

After the Major left taking Tommy home, Victoria sat by the simple mirror she had to look at herself with. Margarite pulled out of the little closet the fancy gown given to Victoria's mother as a gift from Victoria's father. Father saved up for five years to get the simple champagne silk traveling gown for her. Now it was Victoria's. Margarite held it up saying,

"We could put blood on it. Maybe Luck will be kind and give the man a heart attack." Smirking, Victoria said,

"I believe it's the bride who gets the bad luck not the groom."

"You know this means we can't see each other again." said Margarite. Victoria looked down saying,

"No I don't suppose he'll want another woman aboard. Well, at least until he's tired of me."

"Don't say things like that girl! Just pray that God will help you find a way out of this!" said Margarite crouching at Victoria's feet.

"So much for my dream coming true!" said Victoria. Margarite squared her in the eye and said,

"Now listen girl. Your mother isn't here to give you this talk so I'm going to . Now if you were spending tomorrow night with a man you love, I'd say try to enjoy it as much as him. But since you're not, all you have to do is lie there and let him do the work. Unless of course he tells you otherwise."

"Margarite, what the blazes are you talking about?" asked Victoria in frustration. Margarite whispered in her ear.

"Oh." Victoria said when she had finished. That night only four people slept peacefully. The Major, Miss Devon, Mrs. Murphy and Captain Jack Sparrow.

The next morning, the town was somber. School was cancelled, for obvious reasons, and Margarite spent the whole morning with her hands shaking. Soon Miss Devon and Mrs. Murphy came by to offer their condolences and help her dress and pack. Miss Devon gave her a straw bonnet with little blue flowers among the white ones. Mrs. Murphy helped her fix her hair all the while trying to ease the mood by talking about her own wedding day. Margarite helped her into her corset and dress and then kissed her cheek. Victoria said nothing as they packed her books, her two dresses, her nightgown, her robe, her toiletries, and her guitar in it's case. Finally with one bag that had everything she ever owned, and a pair of new gloves from Mrs. Murphy, she stepped out of her schoolhouse giving the classroom one last longing look.

Anamaria had been given permission to fetch the crew from where they hid off shore. Soon the whole crew minus two to guard was on land to add to the effect that Captain Sparrow was serious in his threat. When she returned she found Jack decked out in all of his effects and even cleaned up a little. The Major came and escorted them out of the jail grinning like a chest-sire cat. There stood the whole town glaring at him through somber faces. Jack smiled and nodded to everyone. Then he followed the Major to the steps of town hall where the justice of the peace awaited them inside. As the sun began to set, the town soon stopped glaring in Jack's direction and stared in the other direction. Jack looked over their heads seeing that they parted for a single figure followed by three women, two holding suitcases and the one that had gotten him in this mess smugging wickedly. The girl's head was bent down so he couldn't see her face. He could see a nice figure tucked in to a simple silk traveling gown of an off-white variety under a straw bonnet with flowers adoring it. As she began to climb the steps she started raising her head. She saw a pair of tan folded over boots with knickers, a red and white sash around a slender waist, a homespun blue coat faded badly and a tan if not handsome face staring back at her under a mass of dark brown hair, beads and a tricorn hat. But his eyes struck her the most. She was too scared to stare in to those eyes. He on the other hand thought to himself,

"Well, at least she's not bad to look at! ' He smirked and stepped forward saying,

"Miss…" he looked to the Major who mouthed,

"BA-KER!"

"Baker! That's the one! A pleasure Miss! Allow me to introduce myself. Captain Jack Sparrow, at your service, luv!" he said taking her hand and kissing it giving her the best grin he could muster. She nodded and said, voice barely above a whisper,

"Captain!" He grinned dropped a little as he said,

"Well, let's get started then aye?" And for sake of the illusion, he gave her bottom a nice forceful pat and proceeded to step inside. She followed along with the rest of the wedding party. The next few minutes were a blur to Victoria.

'Well, at least my husband is young and handsome. Not old and ugly.' she thought trying to see the bright side. Shaking her from her thoughts, the Justice said,

"Have you the ring?" At this Jack looked around confused only to be greeted with a shrug from Gibbs and a shaking of the head from the Major. Sighing, he took off one of his rings, took her hand, handed it to her and muttered,

"Let's just get this over with!" At first Victoria was confused by his tone but she assumed it was due to what Margarite had said last night. As she slipped the ring on her left hand, surprised that it fit perfectly, she heard the Justice of the peace say,

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You…uh…may kiss the bride?" Jack shrugged,

"What the hell!" He took her and spun her to face him and then kissed her. Only he had intended it to last a second, but he surprised himself by liking the taste of her lips and begging for more. She didn't give him anything back of course but, still, he liked them. Then the Major cleared his throat. It was the perfect kiss to keep up the illusion, but there was no need to get carried away. Parting, Jack looked at her a moment and then recomposed himself saying,

"Right. Back to the ship." And soon they were outside again with the town following them to the docks were the Pearl had docked earlier. As the crew scrambled aboard, Victoria looked up in shock to see the black ship she had seen yesterday. It was dark and beautiful, just like her captain.

"Come now, step lively!" said Jack walking ahead of her. Victoria had grabbed her suitcase and her guitar before they left the Town hall and just as she stepped onto the wooded planks of the docks, she stopped to hear,

"MISS BAKER! MISS BAKER! DON'T GO!" She spun about quickly and gathered her students in her arms hugging and kissing each one despite their parents' protests. Jack looked over them to eye the Major who had a knowledgeable look in his somber face. Jack tightened his grip on the handle of his cutlass.

"Blimy Cur! So that's how she consented! He told her I'd hurt the children! Stupid Blighter! I'm a man who follows the Code! I've never hurt an innocent in me life!' thought Jack. He looked down at the group when he heard,

"Miss Baker, this is definitely not romantic! Even if he is good looking!" She looked at Bessie. Victoria then looked over at Jack who tried to give her an honest smile, complimented by the little girl's words. Without missing a beat, Victoria said,

"It's Mrs. Sparrow now, my darlings."



"A regrettable wedding day, I'm sure Mrs. Sparrow. Unfortunately the Major was right. If I had heard his version of the tale I would have considered you a brave soul. But since I know there is more to the story than that, well…" said the Commodore.

"The thirty minutes have been spent, Commodore." said Victoria. The Commodore smiled and said as he stood up,

"Then I look forward to tomorrow night, Mrs. Sparrow. I must admit you have me on the edge of my seat. For now, you will be held in the forts' empty barracks as a suspect for questioning. And if you require anything within reason I will see what can be done. Understood?" Victoria nodded and said,

"May I receive a visit from Mrs. Turner? I borrowed some gloves from her I wish to return."

"How do you know…?" questioned the Commodore before Victoria looked at him and said with a cocky tone,

"Not tonight Commodore." He nodded and then led her out to the empty barracks.

The next morning, Norrington related the tale back to Lt. Gillette as they inspected the harbor.

"Quite a tale so far, Commodore!" said Gillette walking alongside the man. Norrington nodded,

"It will certainly go down as one of Captain Sparrow's best!"

"And to think that eventually, the girl falls in love with him! Can't wait to hear how that worked out!" said Gillette.

"Neither can I." said Norrington. Gillette turned to look at him.

"You admire Mrs. Sparrow don't you?"

"Only as much as I admire Sparrow."

Meanwhile, Young Mrs. William Turner addressed the guard at the gate of Fort Charles,

"I'm here to see Mrs. Sparrow?" Nodding he lead the tall lean woman with honey colored hair inside the fort. Elizabeth never cared for this place. It never ceased to intimidate her. Even though years of being the governor's daughter had trained her to maintain a diplomatic face, she still felt queasy around here. Maybe it was the stuffiness of the men, or the lack of beauty in the sterile environment. Either way, the girl who had matched wits with a cursed pirate crew still disliked having to come to this place. Finally, Elizabeth was led to the forts' barracks and where two guards stood at attention outside the door. They stepped aside and opened the door for Elizabeth. Stepping inside, Elizabeth realized that the guards would not give them privacy so she merely shrugged it off and said,

"Mrs. Sparrow! Nice to see you again. I hope you are being treated well?" Victoria looked up from her spot on one of the beds and said,

"Why yes Mrs. Turner. Forgive me for not rising but I've have been unable to sleep for fear for my husband. Please come and sit with me. I only regret that we met only yesterday and here I am asking to inconvenience you." As Elizabeth sat down, she said,

"Oh no! No bother at all." Victoria laughed nervously pulling out her gloves and placing them in Elizabeth's hands saying,

"I'm being silly. I asked you here to just return the gloves you lent me. Turns out I shan't need them after all. But I could have just had one of the guards send them to you!" Elizabeth furrowed her brows.

"Gloves?" Then she noticed Victoria's eyes look towards the gloves. Elizabeth looked inside the gloves and there was a note inside! A note that could not be read by the Royal Navy! Elizabeth looked up upon realizing this and met a woman with a weak voice, trembling smile and strong cunning eyes. Elizabeth smiled warmly,

"Oh, my gloves. Well thank you Mrs. Sparrow. I regret you couldn't find use for them."

"Please call me Victoria." Elizabeth squeezed her hand.

"Only if you call me Elizabeth." Victoria smiled,

"I suppose the real reason I wanted you here was I needed a woman to talk to. And Anamaria is unavailable at the moment."

"Anamaria?"

"Yes, she's probably down hiding at the docks or a pub somewhere with Gibbs and the rest." said Victoria looking Elizabeth straight in the eye with that same cunning look. Elizabeth understood. She smiled and said,

"I must be going."

"Yes your husband will want to be with you." said Victoria. Elizabeth understood the warning and nodded.

"Take care of yourself Victoria!" said Elizabeth standing.

"You too, Elizabeth." smiled Victoria as Elizabeth leaned over to hug her. Elizabeth whispered in her ear,

"I'll get it to Gibbs and Ana, don't worry."

"Thank you…for both of us." whispered Victoria back. And with that Elizabeth left the fort and rushed towards home, leaving Victoria to look out the window where she could see the entrance to the cells.

"Just a little bit longer, my love. Just a bit longer." she murmured.

Later, the crew of the Black Pearl kept to themselves in a dark corner at the only pub at the docks, The Water Bug. They looked sorrowfully in their pints as all around them the start of a noisy party could be heard.

"Can't anyone think of something to get the Sparrows out?" asked Gibbs in despair not looking up.

"ACCKKK! I'M DISINCLINED TO THAT REQUEST!" squawked the mute pirate Mr. Cotton's parrot. Anamaria mumbled,

"Means no." They all sighed.

"Gibbs!" cried a young voice from the door. The crew looked up in surprise.

"Will Lad! Miss Elizabeth!" cried Gibbs shocked to see the handsome young couple make their way towards the table, she in a embroidered blue gown, him in a handsome brown gentleman's suit with one of his famous swords by his side.

"What are you two doing down here then?" asked Anamaria as the couple sat down. Elizabeth and Will shared a look before Elizabeth took out the note and said handing it to Gibbs,

"It's from Victoria." Gibbs looked it over. Sure enough, it was written on the back of the Sparrows' marriage license. He struggled to read it before smiling and saying,

"Aye…that'll about do it!"



"Aw Mrs. Sparrow. How good to see you again. Gillette and I just finished writing the first of the reports reciting your adventures." said Norrington as he and Gillette stood as Victoria entered the room later that night. As the guard was dismissed Gillette said,

"Lt. Andrew Gillette at your service Ma'am."

"I hope you don't mind if Gillette sits in on our little chat, Madam. But he is as entranced with your story as I am." said Norrington warmly. She shook her head and smiled,

"If you're sure there aren't any pirates roaming about that you should be catching, then I wouldn't mind if you had every officer in the Fort come and hear!"

"Please. have a seat, Mrs. Sparrow." said Norrington. And with that, all three of them sat.

"Any time you are ready Madam." said Norrington. Victoria shrugged,

"Well then, where was I?"

"You had just told the children you were Mrs. Sparrow now." offered Gillette.

"Ah yes. So I did…"


	3. Chapter 3

"_That evening, as I watched St. Paul grow smaller in the distance from the waist of the Black Pearl, I felt my nerves becoming raw. I tried to force my mind to go blank and pretend I wasn't there, but I was. And my mind refused to stop thinking of what was about to come. My wedding night…"_

"Gibbs! Head three points Northeast at 15 knots. I want to forget this town. And Gibbs. If I ever say 'let's pretend to be farmers' ever again, just shoot me Savvy?" said Jack making his way to the quarterdeck.

"Cap'n? Aren't you forgetting something?" asked Gibbs coolly. Jack spun back on his heel to face him with a confused look.

"I don't…" Then Gibbs nodded over to Victoria stood next to the rail with her back to the sea, her head bent down and her hands wringing her gloves nervously.

"Oh." he said standing straight.

"Best tell her what really happened back there aye?" said Gibbs. Jack clapped him on the back sending him off saying,

"Aye." Jack walked over to her and said,

"Miss…" He was about to call her Baker but then remembered she was now Mrs. Sparrow…his wife. My did that sound strange to him! He continued,

"Miss Victoria? Why don't you point to your bags and my men here can take them to my cabin aye?" Nodding she pointed over to her one suitcase and her guitar case. Confused he said,

"That's it?"

"That all I have." she said quietly. Trying to lighten the mood he said,

"Well Luv, you must be the first woman I've met who can pack all she needs into one itty bitty suitcase. Not even Anamaria can pack light!" At this he felt a wet rag hit the back of his head. He just closed his eyes, not even bothering to turn back at the bosun. Upon opening them, he saw that Victoria tried to crack a smile but fail miserably. So he bent over to pick up her belongings, hefted them onto his shoulder and said,

"Right then. Follow me please Mrs…. Uh…Milady!" And he turned and made his way into his cabin with Victoria following behind slowly her head still bent down. The crew shook their heads at her.

"Well at least she ani't a spoiled rich brat!" said Anamaria with her hands on her hips. Gibbs looks at her and said,

"Huh? How can you tell? The girl was wearing silk!"

"Silk that is ten years out of style. Must have been her mother's. Plus, she was wearing the sensible boots of a maid, not a society girl!" said Anamaria turning to return to her duties leaving Gibbs only to shrug and continue on his way.

Inside, Jack set her stuff down gently, and then gestured as if it were a dog ready to attack before standing up and turning to her who had sat down in a chair.

"Would you care for something to drink?" he asked.

"No thank you." she said quietly as she stared at the floor. He walked up to stand beside her saying gently,

"There's no reason to be afraid of me Luv." Gulping she said,

"You haven't given me any reason to not be afraid of you either, Captain." Sighing Jack walked over to the table where there was numerous rum bottles. Taking a long swig he said,

"Really? Then try this on for size, Milady. I had no desire to take you from St. Paul. As a matter of fact, I've never even seen you until before the wedding." At this Victoria snapped her head up and shouted,

"WHAT?"

"_Jack explained to me what had really conspired that day. He told me how the Major had given him his freedom in exchange for the town's freedom from my teaching methods. When he finished, I stood up in outrage and cried,"_

"That MORON! Cretan! Charlatan! That…that…"

"Blimy dog?" offered Jack from where he sat behind his deck, feet propped up taking a swig of his rum.

"Thank you. That Blimy DOG! URRGG! And those two old crones…"Victoria began to remove her hat pins and untying her bonnet. "Coming to my house, acting like my friends when they were just trying to make sure I was leaving! Ugly Hags!" she continued throwing the hat on Jack's mussed up desk. At this Jack jumped slightly but shrugged it off as she continued to rant and rave. He had to admit. He much preferred the fiery lass muttering to herself and hurling insults at people she would most likely never seen again than the fearful mouse she was moments before.

"And…and…you!" she started. Jack rolled his eyes. Here we go! He knew she would eventually start insulting him, calling him a 'filthy pirate', 'disgusting pig', or a 'despicable thief'. He had heard it all before. So imagine his surprise when she continued,

"Dragging you, an innocent party, into this whole ordeal must be the lowest thing of all!"

"Excuse me?" said Jack blinking in disbelief.

"You didn't care about the on goings of our town, so why couldn't they just let you be? The only reason you agreed to this whole charade was to ensure the safety of yourself and your crew! I'm sure you didn't want to walk away with a wife!" she said. Jack put a finger in his ear cleaning it out saying,

"Hold on, Luv. I must have heard you wrong." He stood up and walked around to the front of the desk to face her before he continued,

"Aren't you going to start blaming me for this?"

"No. Why should I? The Major used you to save his own neck. Using people is just wrong." she said looking down at the floor. He lifted her chin up and said,

"But I'm a pirate."

"But you're still a human being. And regardless of their occupation, no matter how…ill favored…a human being deserves to be treated with respect."

"That must be the first time someone has called me human before calling me a pirate." said Jack quietly looking into her eyes. Victoria tried to look away but found herself unable to. Embarrassed, she even found herself liking how the kohl around his brown eyes made them only more dark and intense. Finally he released her and started to walk back to his seat when he felt something inside of him. Like someone was pulling his soul away. Then as quickly as it came, it left.

'What was that?' he asked himself. Then shrugging it off he sat down and began to drink again. After a few moments, she said,

"So since ours was a marriage not wanted by either of us, what's to become of me?"

"Well, as I've already said, it's against the Code to hurt the innocent, so I could just drop you off in Port Royal. I've got a couple of friends who are actually on the right side of the law. They can take care of you until you get yourself settled. Unfortunately, we aren't docking there for about three months yet." said Jack taking a swig.

"Three months? But Port Royal is only a day's journey from St. Paul if you ride the currents!" she protested.

"You know sailing?" he asked.

"I know geography and science and how the moon affects the tides." she said. Jack smirked,

"Well, actually, "he paused to take a swig, but upending the bottle finding it empty, he chucked it over his shoulder leaving it to crash against the wall.

" It's half a day's journey on the Black Pearl! Regrettably, I'm on the wrong side of the law there, but I have a system." he continued raising his index finger as he stood. Victoria took a seat to listen to him.

"Quite scientific really. Every time I dodge out of there, the Royal Navy is on me like the Plague for about a month. But once rumors about how I was taken by savages or killed in the Bermuda Triangle start going around, they stop looking so hard. Three more months and Bob's your uncle, Fanny's your aunt and I can return safe and sound to Port Royal to visit me good friend William Turner, master Blacksmith extraordinaire!" said Jack spreading his arms wide while leaning against the table. Smartly, she said,

"And then the Royal Navy finds out you're there again, and you have to dodge out again." He grinned,

"For every cause, there is an effect, Luv!" To which she replied,

"Actually, I believe the phrase is, for every action there is a reaction." He only grinned wider and said,

"You know you're very pretty when you smile." Realizing she was smiling, she said,

"Thank you."

"Maybe if we take advantage of our honeymoon, I can keep you smiling Savvy?" he suggested raising his eyebrows. She only laughed and shook her head no. His brows furrowed in confusion as he said,

"Isn't this the part where you slap me?"

"You didn't mean it so why should I?" she asked. He shifted slightly.

"How did you know I didn't mean it?"

"Because if you had wanted to take advantage of me Captain, you would have instead of trying to cheer me up and tell me the truth." she said. He gulped. This girl could read him better than he wanted her to! He shrugged saying,

"Just checking."

"So I'm to stay here for three months?" she asked.

"Yes."

"And the crew doesn't mind?"

"They voted on it and they all agreed you'd be better off getting away from that small little town of yours before they'd tried something drastic."

"Even more drastic than blackmailing a pirate captain into taking a wife?" she said with humor in her voice.

"Dangerously so." he implied seriously. She gulped at the thought.

"So once we do get into Port Royal, will we file for divorce?" she asked. He hesitated and pretended to look at some maps.

"Uh…actually…Luv…if it's all the same to you why don't we cross that bridge when we come to it?"

"Why?" asked Victoria.

"Well…uh…it's…it's just that I…was raised Catholic so I still hold on to some of that stuff, Savvy?" he said.

"Oh so you don't believe in divorce? Well that's understandable." she said. He looked at her.

"You aren't going to laugh?"

"At what? I'm a protestant so I don't believe in divorce either." she said.

"No, I mean the part about me being Catholic." he said.

"One of my students wrote a report on how pirates are often very religious people. It was very good, but I had to give him a C+ since the assignment was about the religions of a certain people, not how religious certain people are!" she said.

"There you go treating me like a human being again!" he said amused. Ready to change the subject, she said,

"So where will I be staying while I'm on board, Captain?"

"Ah, well milady, there's with the crew, but I think that for lack of space and modesty that would be the worst option."

"Obviously."

"You could bunk with Anamaria, but unfortunately she barely has enough room for herself. And last but certainly not least there's me." he said cocking his head to the left.

"You?…You mean sleep in here?…With you?" she asked eyeing the one bed in the corner.

"Aye!" he said lifting his eyebrows.

"Very well. I suppose you'll try to restrain yourself." she said.

"Only if you try the same, Luv!" he said. But all her response was a shake of the head.

"What no shock? No speech about propriety?" he asked. She stood up and squared him up saying,

"Captain Sparrow. I'm a schoolteacher. I've heard worst." He grinned once again and barked a loud laugh.

"You know Luv? You're all right!" And with that, he walked over to the door , opened it and yelled out,

"GIBBS!" Soon the first mate came running up.

"Sir?"

"Fetch me a spare hammock. Milady Victoria is going to be taking my bed during her stay." he said. Gibbs said confused,

"But don't you usually just make them join you in your bed until they…" Jack stomped on Gibbs foot making him yell,

"OWW!" Then Jack slammed the door in his face. Looking back at Victoria who had raised an eyebrow he said,

"What can I say, Luv? I'm a religious man not a Saint!"

"_So that is how Jack and I started our relationship. Granted it wasn't much but it was a start. Apparently, I had made an impression on him by not expecting him to change but treating him like a person instead. I suppose it comes from being a sensible schoolteacher who gives their students the benefit of a doubt. So much so that he in turn treated me decently. He even had Gibbs bring up a folding screen he had 'acquired' in Singapore up from the hold so that I could change…"_

"Blasted daft son of a…asking me to haul up this swag…good thing I don't mutiny on him stupid little…just so that little…can change her clothes!" muttered Gibbs as he entered Jack's cabin and set up the folding screen in the opposite diagonal corner from the bed.

"I heard that Mr. Gibbs…"warned Victoria humorously from her spot by the bed where she unpacked. Gibbs raised his shoulders quickly and then turned to her sheepishly saying,

"Apologies, …Missus." Victoria smirked.

"At least you can call me 'Mrs.' I don't think either the Captain or myself can come around to saying it."

"Well Jack Sparrow is not the marrying kind, ma'am. So you can imagine what kind of state he's in." said Gibbs.

"Well he only has to put up with a wife for about three months. If you can actually call me that." she said.

"Well a wife is certainly more than just a wedding band and a pretty face!" said Gibbs. Victoria turned to face him.

"Have you a wife, Mr. Gibbs?"

"Who me? No ma'am. Almost, but it never took." he said.

"If it's not being too nosy, what happened?" she asked.

"Her father didn't approve so I joined the Royal Navy in hopes of being a career office making his fortune. But after my first tour of duty I found her father had married her off. Never did become an officer." said Gibbs winking.

" That's a shame she couldn't stand up to her father." said Victoria.

"Aye, my lass never were one to stand up for herself. The only thing about her that I didn't like. Well, good night to you Missus." he said walking out.

"Good night." she called out. Victoria looked down at her left hand and began to study her wedding ring. A beautiful black opal with a million simmers and glimmers and sparkles encased in a gold band. Dark and beautiful. Just like her previous owner. Victoria stopped herself. Maybe she should return it? After all it wasn't a real marriage as far as loving each other. It was just a legal one. Victoria mused it must have been one of the only legal things Jack Sparrow had ever done in his life! And speaking of the devil, Jack came in singing under his breath,

"…_and really bad eggs_…" He kicked away some rum bottles and papers and clothes on the floor and began to set up his hammock in the corner opposite her bad. She looked around and noted everything was in a similar state plus with a few layers of dust.

"Captain?" she ventured. He stopped before he could start hammering to look over at her and say,

"You know Luv, you can call me Jack. After all we are…married…and all."

"All right, Jack. Say would you object terribly if I straighten things up around here?" she asked folding her hands. He looked around and said,

"I don't see why not. As a matter of fact, I'd appreciate it. I can make the Pearl shine, and keep the hold straightened up, but for the life of me, I can't keep me own cabin clean! Hmm!" He raised his arms in exasperation and smugged, making Victoria laugh. Before he could raise the hammer again, she asked,

"Jack? "

"Hmm?"

"Would…you like your ring back?" He thought it over a bit before saying,

"Nah. You hang on to it for a while."

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it." He lifted the hammer again when she interrupted,

"I've never worn anything this fancy before!" But this time he absentmindly hit his thumb.

"OWWHH! STUPID…BLIMY…SON OF A…!" he shouted holding his thumb. Victoria rushed over and pried his hands apart to get a good look.

"Here now! Can you move it?" she asked as he hissed. He tried it out and then said,

"Aye."

"Then no harm done." she said. But before she could move away she felt him moving his callous hands over hers slowly. She looked down at their hands in confusion.

"Jack? What are you?"

"Shame about hands like these. One day they're like silk and crème and after a few weeks on a ship they become like rough leather. Just trying to remember how they feel before they turn hard." he said not taking his eyes off her hands. Memorized she breathed,

"Is that a compliment or a warning?" He looked up into her eyes and said,

"Both." Removing his hands, he turned back to his work occasionally sucking the side of his throbbing thumb. She meanwhile turned back to the bed in a daze. Then she felt something inside her. Like someone pulling her soul away.

'What was that?' she asked herself. A few moments later, Jack was lying in his hammock gently rocking along with the ship. Victoria stepped behind the folding screen to change into her nightclothes. Unfortunately, Jack had a nice angle overlooking a little less than half of Victoria's body.

"So where are we headed?" asked Victoria with her back turned to Jack.

"Hmm?" he asked paying more attention to her unbuttoning her dress.

"Where are we headed?" she repeated slipping the dress off. As she began to slip off her corset, he replied,

"Thought we skim the Hispanola for a while. Take in the le…view!" He caught himself before mentioning her legs which he got a nice view of after she abandoned her petticoats.

"You know, this could turn out splendidly for me. I've always wanted to travel! To places like Morocco or India." she said pausing before pulling her shift off. Gulping he said,

"What's stopping you Luv?" As soon as he spoke she finished pulling off the shift to reveal her back and her bottom in nothing but her underwear. He leaned over trying to get a better view.

"Nothing really. So how long will it take?" she asked. Then she heard a thump behind her as she pulled on her nightgown. Peeking out around the screen she said,

"Jack?" From where he lay face up on the floor, he dryly said,

"This is going to be a long three months!"

"_For the first few weeks of our voyage, life aboard the Black Pearl was fascinating to me and dull to the crew. I had only been on a ship once in my life due to the crossing over from England. But during that trip I was expected to stay quiet and not bother anyone. On the Pearl, I had the freedom to explore and observe. The crew was not exactly sure of me, so I decided to wait things out for them to get use to me. I amused myself by studying how they tied knots. For hours I would practice only half sure of their purposes and clueless to their names. One day Anamaria, the ship's boson was getting off her watch ready to relax when she saw me sitting on a barrel trying to tie a knot with a discarded scrap of rope. She walked over to me and said, "_

"Need some help?" Victoria looked up from her knot to see the thin athletic black woman smiling down at her. Victoria smiled back,

"If you're sure I wouldn't be a bother?" Anamaria took the rope from her, cut it in two with her knife, and handing one piece back to her before settling down on the deck she said,

"You never know when a good knot will come in handy. I'm off duty anyway."

"So how long have you been a sailor Anamaria?" asked Victoria.

"Since I ran away from my master. Stupid me snuck aboard a pirate ship. Fifteen years later, here I be." said Anamaria. Deciding not to press her Victoria asked,

"And do you find Jack to be a good Captain?"

"Aye. Good. But crazy as a loon sometimes!" huffed Anamaria. Victoria chuckled,

"Really? Like when?" An hour later, the two women were laughing and carrying on. Victoria had not only learned about knots, but why Mr. Cotton never speaks, the more detailed account of Ana's life, Gibbs famous clam chowder, and of course the adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow.

"Sea turtles?" laughed Victoria wiping tears from her eyes. Anamaria fought for breath.

"Aye! Sea turtles!" she laughed. Soon their laughter died down,

"So…do you find Jack to be a good husband?" joked Anamaria. Victoria grew a little quiet before looking down at her rope.

"I don't know. We're not really married except in the legal sense. But he does seem to treat me like a gentleman should."

"Jack? Jack Sparrow?" asked Anamaria scrunching her nose up.

"That notorious with women aye?" asked Victoria good naturedly.

"Well the women in Tortuga like him for more than just a few shillings I'll tell you that." said Anamaria.

"Really?"

"Aye. I was once even charmed by him. Him with his pretty face and his sense of fun. But then he stole my boat and sunk it. Stupid fool. Sides now that I know him better, I know I ani't really his type." said Anamaria.

"And the women of Tortuga are?" asked Victoria.

"God forbid! No, I think the only type of woman who could ever steal the heart of Jack Sparrow would have to be someone who's just as free spirited as him. Someone who likes to travel. A person he can talk to. Someone to match his wits." said Anamaria.

"His wits?"

"Aye. Truth is, Jack only drinks rum once a week. Then he acts drunk the rest of the time. Makes folks underestimate him and think he's a fool. But truth is, he's a smart one. Too smart for one like the likes of me. "

"What do you mean by that Ana?"

"Well, Victoria I can't even read or write. Hardly no one can on the Pearl." said Anamaria. Victoria bent over,

"Do you think the crew would like to learn?"

"Sure, any man who can write more than his mark is valued by the Breathen."

"I could teach you all. After all I am a teacher."

"When? We only have enough time between watches to do something 'sides sleep and grab a bite from the galley." said Anamaria.

"Besides…" Victoria and Anamaria looked up to see Jack looking down at them.

"Since I want to make sure the crew don't get too many ideas, how you would teach them is the question." he stated. Victoria stood up.

"Well…what do you suggest?"

"Teach me first." he said simply.

"But Ja…" started Anamaria.

"Don't you need to help Cotton with dinner tonight Ana?" said Jack not taking his eyes off Victoria. Mumbling with fury she got up and stomped away leaving Jack and Victoria alone. She shifted slightly.

"Well, what say you?" asked Jack. She looked up at him and smiled,

"When do we begin Captain?"

"Ye can start by getting out of that dress." he said simply. Shocked she said,

"I beg your pardon!"

"You're sweating like glass of cold water. And the ironic thing is you must be burning up in that dress. So since I want you to be comfortable, why don't you change into something cooler, Savvy?" said Jack. She looked down at the deck and said,

"I only have three dresses. One I don't dare wear all the time and the other is identical to this one." Looking her over a bit, he asked,

"Does this skirt detach from the rest?" Blushing she said,

"Yes."

"Then you go in my…our cabin…and fish out a few of me shirts. You can wear those with your skirts, Savvy?" Victoria looked up and him and said,

"Your shirts?"

"They're cooler to wear than what you got Luv. Or do you want to be hot and sweaty all the time?" he said raising an eyebrow and smirking. Finally she said,

"Thank you Jack." Holding up his hands as if in prayer, he nodded to her and then tucked his thumbs in his belt as he watched her walk off. Gibbs and Anamaria walked up to him once Victoria stepped inside.

"Jack! What's this I hear about Miss Victoria teaching you how to read?" Jack turned his head to Anamaria quickly to say,

"Tattletale!" Glaring at him, Anamaria said,

"Well, it's true! You're learning how to do something you already know how to do!"

"Aye, you wouldn't have been elected Captain if you couldn't read! And besides what are you going to tell her when she spies your book collection?" said Gibbs. At this Jack smiled at his first mate and says,

"That I use them to bash my first mates' head in. Now I want your words on the Code ye won't tell her, Savvy?" They both reluctantly nodded and satisfied Jack headed back up to the quarterdeck.

Meanwhile, Victoria managed to find some rumbled up shirts in a simple chest by Jack's bed. She smelled one just to make sure it's clean. Overall it was clean but it had this delightful earthy smell intoxicated with rum, sea salt and spices. Blushing upon realizing it was Jack's smell, she recovered herself and proceeded to detach her top half of the dress and pull on the shirt. It was a little baggy on her and missing one of the upper buttons but since it failed to expose her chest, she figured it was all right. She tucked the shirt ends into her skirt and fastened on an old belt she found in the chest around her waist. Rolling up the sleeves, then she dug through her bag to find a simple book she used to help the children start to read and walked out.

Jack was steering the ship with precision and mastery. He enjoyed the wind in his hair and the sea spray on his face. His heart lifted just a little bit higher when each cap breaked on the ocean. He looked down and did a double take when he saw Victoria walking towards the quarterdeck ladder in one of his old shirts. And for some reason, Jack's heart leaped even higher than any whitecap could make him. He wetted his lips as he looked her over. There was just something about a woman wearing a man's shirt he found…undeniably appetizing. He put on a serious look as she finally made her way to his side and said,

"Well? Do I look alright?" Pretending to just notice her arrival, he quickly skimed her over making a mental note about how much of her chest he could see, and said,

"It'll do." Her face fell a little. She had been hoping for more of a compliment than that! Brushing it off she said,

"When would you like to begin your lessons Captain?"

"An hour before dinner?" he offered.

"Fine." she said turning to leave. Not taking his eyes off the horizon he said,

"Lovely view, isn't it?" Then Victoria smiled and looked around at the ocean and the late afternoon sun shining brightly in the blue sky.

"Yes, the ocean is beautiful." she stated while smiling.

"Who was talking about the ocean Luv?" Jack said coyly looking at her. She turned her eyes towards him in disbelief. Was he talking about her? She quickly began to walk away leaving behind a grinning pirate captain to contemplate,

'Oh, I'm going to have fun with this one!'

"_The next few days I spent more than one hour before dinner with Jack. Every free moment he had, Jack would pull me into another lesson. I didn't really mind except he had this total disregard for personal space that he practically sat in my lap! (Not that he probably wasn't contemplating it!) And when I would read aloud to him, I would look at him through the corner of my eye and see him not paying any attention to the book but looking at me. I got so annoyed with his lack of seriousness, I began tugging on the braids in his beard to make him turn towards the book. The first time I did this, Jack yelled at me and I kept yelling back at him until we both didn't know what we were yelling about. The second and third time, he just glared at me. I wasn't sure why, but eventually he just started to take it as if it were an inside joke. When I wasn't teaching Jack I was making friends with the crew. One night after pulling out my guitar to play, the sailors on deck at the time asked me join them in a sea chantey or ten. This got me started on the idea of setting a reading and writing lesson to the music of the sea shanties so that they could learn the alphabet while working on their chores. I also began a through cleaning of 'our" cabin. It took me days but eventually I began to see the floor. But one fateful day, I was surprised to find something in an huge old chest that could only be described as a change in the winds…"_

Victoria leaned over a large trunk she had found underneath Jack's bed. Whereas everything else she found under there had weeks of mold and dust built up, this chest had been handled very much and the layers of dust told her that this chest was only opened about a few days ago. It was too heavy to be clothes but no lock on it meant that gold and silver it did not contain since Jack was no fool and he knew how to keep treasure safe. Reasoning to herself that Jack had given her permission to go through all his effects to clean up the room, and because her curiosity plagued her, Victoria cautiously opened the trunk. Her eyes grew wide with surprise.

Shakespeare! Homer! Voltaire! Socrates! And numerous tales from Arabia! Books containing great thought, ideals, passions, emotions filled the chest. Wait. Why would a pirate who couldn't read have books? Picking up a book on top, "Hamlet" it was, Victoria saw a piece of paper tucked inside the pages. Flipping the book open, she saw an old yellowed map. A map that she knew had been draw by Captain Jack Sparrow since that was the signature that was signed at the bottom. Victoria also noted the various notes on the map concerning currents, tides and other such variables. Notes that couldn't have been written by a pirate who couldn't read. Victoria narrowed her eyes and slammed the book shut.

Five minutes later, she stomped out on the deck clutching the book in her hand.

"Aye Lass! Are ye going to share one of your songs with us?" asked Gibbs, who was sitting by the rail regaling the crew with a tale.

"Where's SPARROW?" hissed Victoria. Then she spied him on the main mast trestle tree, looking through his spyglass. Then she stomped over to some rigging.

"Guess not." said Gibbs. Then to the crews' shock and protest, Victoria climbed onto the rail and started climbing the rigging as if she actually knew what she was doing. Ignoring Gibbs cries of,

"Victoria! Lass, get DOWN!" She simply kept climbing up to where Jack was. Jack looked up from his spyglass to the commotion below. When he heard Gibbs he looked down at the railing and saw Victoria climbing up towards him! Startled, but not wanting Victoria to become distracted and fall, he helplessly watched until she came close enough for him to pull her up onto the small platform and say,

"Victoria! What in the blue blazes are you doing? It's dangerous to climb up here! You can break your neck!" Seeming to snap out of a daze she said,

"What?" Then she looked down and shrieked grabbing onto the closest thing next to her which happened to be Jack.

"How high is THAT!"

"About fifty feet. But didn't you realize that when you started climbing up here?" asked Jack enjoying the feel of her arms clutched around his neck. Still looking down at the deck, she said

"I was so mad at you I forgot that I had never climbed the rigging before and so I didn't think to be scared!"

"Well that's true you didn't think. But why were you mad at me?" asked Jack. She then snapped her head around and glared at him.

"I'm still mad at you! You…you…lying, odious, scoundrel!" she said. Jack sighed,

"I knew it couldn't last."

"I found this book in your cabin…" she said holding up the book she still held in her hands.

"Amongst a variety of other books as well! And tucked inside was an old map, with YOUR handwritten notes! You lied to me Jack Sparrow! You could read the whole time!" she finished.

"Well I never said I couldn't read. I just wanted you to teach me. I can't help it if you assumed that a 'bloody pirate' couldn't read."

"I didn't assume anything!" she said.

"You assumed I was going to rape you the first night we met!" said Jack as Victoria's mouth dropped.

"I didn't know you!"

"Never make assumptions based on people you don't know Luv. Tis bad luck!"

"Well, I'm not a bloody mind reader, Jack! Until one gets to know someone, first assumptions is all one has to go on. And since my information about you was based on a lie, how was I not suppose to assume you were going to rape me? I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions Jack but that gives you no right to try to make me hate you!" yelled Victoria.

"What?"

"You have been putting up borders and trying to present yourself to me in the worst possible light since the moment I got here. And I'd like to know why a kind, decent, man like yourself would try to have me turn away!" yelled Victoria.

"Maybe because I'm not ruddy used to having a kind, decent, woman like yourself find me a kind, decent, man!" yelled Jack back. Suddenly the ship dipped to the waves of the sea and Jack and Victoria stumbled on the trestle tree until Jack's back was pressed against the mast with his hands wrapped around Victoria's waist and her body even closer to Jack's. Gasping, Victoria closed her eyes tightly for a moment until she began to realize how close she was to Jack. Stealing a look at him, she only found herself locked with his dark orbs. Jack's voice cracked,

"Maybe…we should get down on the ground now." Gulping and nodding yes, Victoria let go just long enough for Jack to help her onto the rigging so that they could begin the climb down.

They had not spoken since they were once again on the solid deck waist. Victoria went to bed without supper and Jack stayed at the helm most of the time. Finally, Anamaria sent him to bed. She had to stifle a laugh when she noticed Jack hesitate at the door. Finally stepping inside, he saw Victoria fast asleep on his bed. He quietly walked over to her side and sat down on the bed watching her sleep. She looked like an angel to him in her simple white nightgown, innocent face and brown hair infused with gold. Thinking back to that afternoon, he had to grin when he thought of this sensible, levelheaded woman climbing the rigging without a second thought. But that only meant that a part of her was bold and fearless when she wanted to be. As he gently brushed a strand of hair out of her face he admitted to himself what he had realized that afternoon. If she had fallen that afternoon, he didn't know what he would do. For reasons unknown to him, he didn't want to lose the lass. Shaking his head, he got up and walked over to his hammock and climbed in. First thing in the morning, he'd make things right.

Victoria awoke the next morning and stretched all over until her muscles relaxed again and she felt she could lay in bed all day. Then she caught a whiff of a delicious aroma and turned her head towards the clinking of glasses. There was Jack setting up breakfast for two on the round table in the cabin. She sat up and began to pull on her dressing gown saying coolly,

"Good Morning." Jack turned and nodded solemnly,

"Morning."

"What's all this then?" she asked, not yet getting up.

"An apology." said Jack humbly.

"For…?"

"For misleading you into thinking I couldn't read. And for trying to find a way to make you hate me. And for yelling at you yesterday." said Jack walking over to stand over her at the bed. She clutched the robe around her chest and said,

"Apology accepted. And I'm sorry for yelling at you and calling you names." she said guiltily but still a little coolly..

"Are you hungry?" asked Jack. Despite her loud growling stomach, she only replied,

"A little." As he walked back over and pulled out a chair, she pulled back the covers and practical flew over to her plate. Before Jack could pull the chair in, she had said a quick word of grace and began to fill her plate with the sausages and eggs. Jack also sat down, crossed himself and began to eat as well. They sat in silence. All the while, Victoria realized that this was her first actual meal with the captain. She had eaten with the crew and according to them, Jack was known to skip a meal or grab some humble snacks of hardtack and cheese or an apple. Swallowing a little sausage, she finally said,

"So…was yesterday our first big fight as man and wife?" Jack smiled down at his eggs.

"I suppose it was. We've butted heads before but we've never gone to bed angry so it were. Funny old world, ain't it?" he concluded looking up at her.

"I just hated that you kept your abilities a secret from me. I hate secrets. Makes me feel so…stupid. That's why I made my student's promise to never keep a secret from me." she said.

"Well milady, if that's what it'll take to get back on your good graces, then I swear on pain of death to never keep a secret from you, Savvy? So what do you say? Do we start over?" he asked extending a hand out to her. She eyed him and then his hand and said,

"Agreed." But she couldn't pull her hand away. Jack wouldn't let her. Once again he was rubbing his callous fingers all over her hand.

"Your hands are hard milady, but they're still so silky feeling. Why is that?" he asked with a humorous glint in his eye. Catching her breath she said,

"I don't know." He released her and returned to his plate leaving Victoria to try to remember how to blink.

"_That day, I experienced my first pirate raid on a merchant vessel. I was surely disappointed. I had expected a fierce battle or at least a duel between Jack and the captain of the merchant vessel. Instead, the cannons were shot twice for warning until the other ship ran up the white flag. Once the Pearl had sailed up beside her, a gangplank was laid across the railings. Jack, Gibbs, and a few armed pirates walked over to the other ship and conversed with the captain…"_

"Quarter, Captain. We ask for quarter." said the tall Dutch man.

"Very good. My men will leave you enough food and water to make it to Port Sebastian. You can get supplies there without worrying about the Spanish." said Jack as more of the Pearl's crew came over and made their way down to the hull. Over on the Pearl, Victoria whispered to Anamaria,

"Is that it?"

"Well a pirate's life ain't always an exciting one, lady." Ana whispered back.

A few minutes later, all the swag from the Dutch ship had been taken and brought aboard the Pearl. Just before Jack turned to leave, another man with long blond hair and a scruffy shaggy beard raged at the Dutch captain,

"NO! Captain! We can't be robbed by miserable pirates! Especially English ones!"

"MR. Yoder, I will not risk the lives of women and children!" yelled the Captain.

"Neither will I." said Jack strongly but plainly. Fuming, Yoder turned back to Jack and said,

"This is not over, pirate!" Tipping his hat at he man, Jack merely walked off the ship, ready never to see it again. The gangplank was returned and the ships went their separate ways. Later that night, Jack was sitting with his feet propped up on the desk and writing in some huge books laying across his knees. Victoria was reading the copy of "Romeo and Juliet" Jack had leant her, or at least, she was trying to. Finally, her curiosity won out and asked him,

"What are those?" Jack looked up to her seat on the bed and gulped. With one leg propped up, her chin resting on her knee and the candlelight hitting the gold in her brown locks just right, all while sitting on HIS bed, she looked good enough to eat. Recomposing himself he said,

"Just the ship's account books."

"May I see?" He looked skeptically at first but then remembering their accord of no secrets, said,

"Alright." She walked over to him and looked over his shoulder reading. She bent down and unknowingly let Jack sneak a peek down her chest. He blew the annoying and wonderfully feeling silken locks off the side of his face only to make her tremble from his rush of warm air on her neck. Blushing, she stood up straight and said,

"I don't understand. I've seen at least a dozen ships that must have held more 'swag' than the Dutch in the last few weeks. Why didn't we go after any of those?" Jack smiled,

"Because some of them could have blown us out of the water with their guns. Besides, the ones like the Dutch ship have the crooked captains that can afford to be stolen from, Savvy?"

"What?"

"I have a few mates around the world who send me information on the Captains of merchant vessels. They tell me about the despicable one's who are only one step away from turning pirate themselves, and I in turn, hunt them down and steal from them. After all, the honest merchants are usually the saps who aren't very good in business and they need all the money they can. I guess you can say, I'm a privateer for the honest merchant sailor, Savvy?" he grinned up at her. Amazed at this newfound knowledge, Victoria had to admit it was at least more honorable to steal from a crook than an honest man. It wasn't honest, but it was more honorable. But then she felt a hand rubbing her lower back. Looking down at Jack and raising an eyebrow, she said,

"I can approve of only stealing from crooks, but I don't approve of ill-placed hands 'Savvy?' Confused, it took Jack a minute to figure out that he had absent-mindedly placed his hand on her back. Removing it, he said,

"Apologies."

"Yeah right." said Victoria walking back to her book. Jack shook his head. What was the matter with him? Now he didn't even know when he was making advances towards her! What was this girl doing to him?

All was quiet again for a few more minutes with both lost in their books only occasionally stealing looks at one another. Then a roll of thunder sounded overhead making Victoria jump. Jack closed his wager book and sighed.

"That storm's turned on us. Best go call all hands." said Jack getting up and strapping on his belt. Victoria walked over and helped him get his coat on.

"Thank you." he said as she folded his collar up and said,

"Just don't catch Pneumonia hmm? Wouldn't want to catch anything."

"Right." said Jack. Then without realizing it, Jack kissed her cheek and she let him. As Jack turned and walked to the door, he stopped just as Victoria had stopped when she turned to go back to her book. What was that? Without saying anything, Jack rushed out and Victoria shook her head. What was that man doing to her?

The storm was rough and threatening to capsize the Pearl. Trying to read her book, but finding her thoughts with a certain pirate captain, she finally got up and peeked out the door. The rain was falling in sheets and the crew had tied their waists with rope so they wouldn't fall overboard as they scrambled to control the ship. Victoria stepped out a little careful to hold onto the door. The thunder rolled a warning. The lightening flashed and Victoria looked up and behind her and gasped. She saw Jack at the helm, spinning it wildly back and forth with a huge grin on his face. But his eyes were wild. Wild and passionate. Her stomach felt like it was in knots and something within her chest was as excited as Jack was. He was in sure ecstasy as he took on the storm. He enjoyed the danger. Victoria wondered if he knew how attractively wild his eyes were. Finally she slammed the door shut and leaned against the wood trying to catch her breath and calm her racing heart. Why did she just feel compelled to join him out there? What was going on with her?

After what seemed like ages, she felt the ship's rocking grow calmer. She looked across the room and out the bay windows and saw the storm had died down. Contemplating if she should look again, she was interrupted by a loud boom. But it was not the boom of thunder, but of cannon fire. She heard the ball whistling closer and then a splash of water.

"CANNONFIRE!"

"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!"

"LOAD THE GUNS! FIRE THREE ROUNDS THEN IF THEY DARE COME ABOARD, FIGHT UNTIL I SAY OTHERWISE SAVVY? ANA! TAKE THE WHEEL, WE STILL HAVE TO GET OUT OF THIS STORM! GIBBS! I'LL BE RIGHT BACK I HAVE TO GO GET MY SWORD FROM THE CABIN!" yelled Jack from outside. Victoria backed away and scrambled to get the sword. Just as she did, a sopping wet Captain Jack Sparrow came in. Holding the sword out to him, she said,

"We're being attacked?" Nodding and taking the sword from her, Jack strapped it across his shoulder.

"Who'd attack in the middle of a storm?" asked Victoria irritatingly.

"That would be the Dutch. Apparently the ship we sacked earlier." stated Jack going over to his cabinet. He pulled out and tucked in his sash a few extra guns making sure each one was loaded first.

"Jack?" He looked up at her with those same wild eyes. She breathed,

"What can I do?" Walking towards the door he said,

"Just bolt the door and stay inside Savvy?" Nodding she added just as he was about to close the door,

"Jack!" He looked at her again.

"Be careful." she said quietly. He nodded and then slammed the door and began to shout out orders again. She locked the door behind him and prayed,

"Keep him safe, God. Keep him safe."

Meanwhile, the battle began. The Dutch returned fire just as quickly as the Pearl did. After three rounds, grappling hooks from both sides flew and clutched at the railings. Screams of fury were heard from both sides. Boarding planks were dropped and men flew to the decks of the other. Swords clashed and shots were fired. Jack shot a few shots with one pistol then discarded it and traded it for another, this time clanging swords with the enemy. At the helm, Anamaria struggled to keep her hold on the Pearl while Gibbs and Cotton fought off the sailors trying to reach the quarterdeck. A sailor swung on a line unto the quarterdeck behind Anamaria and she, without hesitation, pulled out a pistol and fired into the man's chest before turning back to the wheel. Jack finally found himself eye to eye with the blonde Dutchman, Mr. Yoder.

"Yoder, isn't it? Pleasure to see you again!" said Jack humorously. He replied coldly,

"The pleasure to cut your throat is mine!" They clashed swords, parrying and thrusting trying to gain the advantage.

"Now what I'd ever do to you?" laughed Jack with a menacing growl.

"You insulted my honor! I pride myself…" Jack ducked his head from Yoder's sword three times. "On being a good sailor! Never robbed by a flithy thief like you! So much I just committed mutiny to uphold my honor! And I'll not be outdone by a pirate!" yelled Yoder through the pouring rain.

"Well then, I'd hate to put a black mark on your record but if you'll excuse me!" yelled Jack as he quit playing games and began to take the advantage leaving the Dutchman surprised and struggling to hold his own.

Meanwhile, Victoria knelt by a hole in the door to watch the battle. With every fallen sailor, clash of sword and gunshot, she'd never felt so helpless in her life. And keeping her eye on Jack's duel with the Dutchman didn't help her nerves. Finally, Jack knocked the sword out of Yoder's hand and looked around.

"Look around mate. Half your crew's dead, your ship's about to capsize and if I were you, I'd cry 'Quarter', Savvy?" Yoder simply raged in defeat before yelling,

"Kwartaal! Ledereen steunt naar het schip!" Jack lowered his sword as the pirate crew cheered and the sailors returned to their boats. Smiling, Victoria stood up to unbolt the door and open it, ready to congratulate Jack and help with the wounded. Yoder was being lead back to the Dutch ship in a daze by a man muttering in Dutch trying to reassure him. Turning his back to the man, Jack replaced his sword and began to check for damage, but when he saw Victoria at the door, he smiled and began to make his way over. But torn between rage at the English pirate and despair over realizing he couldn't return home defeated, he pulled a musket out of his mate's belt and aimed at Jack.

"JACK, LOOK OUT!" yelled Victoria seeing this action. Jack whipped his head around and upon hearing the gunshot, ducked behind a barrel. But not before the musket ball hit him above his knee. Crying out in pain, Jack clutched at his knee and gritted his teeth. The pirates advanced on Yoder and knocked him unconscious and telling his mate to go back without him. Victoria rushed over to Jack and kneeled over him.

"JACK! Don't move! Gibbs! Ana!" yelled Victoria. Yoder was led down to the brig and Gibbs and Ana found the pair behind the barrel with Victoria holding Jack's head up. She looked up at them and said,

"Gibbs, help me get him up. Ana, you know medicine right?"

"Aye?" said Anamaria nervously as Gibbs pulled Jack's arm around his neck. Following Gibbs example, Victoria began to help Gibbs pull Jack up who let loose a mouthful of profanities.

"Get what you need from the galley and fresh water. Some boiling some not. And come to our cabin soon as you can alright?" said Victoria as Jack leaned on her and Gibbs. Nodding, Anamaria turned and ran down to the galley ordering Cotton and the short man Diago to follow her.

"Come on Jack lad. This way!" said Gibbs reassuringly. They walked slowly as Jack cried out in pain when even the slightest pressure was on it. Finally they laid Jack in his bed, almost as exhausted as he.

"Get him out of those clothes Gibbs. I'm going to make some bandages." said Victoria as Gibbs got to work. She also dug out some fresh clothes and blankets to keep Jack warm all the while praying,

"Don't let him die, don't let him die, please don't let him die!"


	4. Chapter 4

"Well, gentleman. Thirty minutes is up." said Victoria. Both men were leaning towards her, hanging on her every word.

"What?" said Norrington snapping out of her spell.

"You can't leave us hanging like this woman! Does Jac…I mean Sparrow live? Did he recover?" asked Gillette.

"Well I would assume so Gillette since the man is in our cells as we speak!" said Norrington slapping his hand over his eyes.

"Oh." said Gillette. Standing up Victoria said,

"I bid you goodnight, Gentlemen."

The next morning, Port Royals' docks were bustling with activity. Sailors were stowing cargo in the hold, carpenters were working on repairs, and fishermen were pulling in the catch of the day. In a secluded corner just off the docks, Gibbs peeked around the corner spying the military ships. Turning back to Anamaria he said,

"You think this'll work? Sending wee ones to mess with the rudder chains?"

"It'd better work! I told all their parents I'd have them back by this afternoon!" said Margarite over the heads of young Tommy and the other former students of Victoria.

"We'll 'elp ye Mister! I'd do anythin after ridin' on the Black Pearl like a real pirate!" said Billy Kelly.

"We'd do anything to help Miss Baker…I mean Mrs. Sparrow!' said Lucy.

"How romantic!" said little Bessie, still in pink. Anamaria looked to Gibbs and smirked,

"You know…they might pull this one off!"

"Aye! All right children, listen up! Old Uncle Gibbs is going to teach ye all how to disable a rudder chain!" said Gibbs getting to one knee before the children. The children giggled as Gibbs shushed them.

A little later, two soldiers by name of Murtogg and Mullroy lead a little red head boy with freckles off the Dauntless .

"This dock is off limits to civilians!" said Murtogg crisply. Billy looked up to the young sandy haired man and said,

"So what are you doin' 'ere?" The black haired portlier man Mullroy rolled his eyes and said,

"Get on now you! You've caused enough trouble for today!" As they pushed Billy away, the young boy caught his friends creeping off the gangplank unnoticed by the two redcoats. They gave him a thumbs up and he in turn stuck out his tongue at the two soldiers and ran off.

On another dock, a little girl in a pink dress and brown curls walked up to a solider guarding the ship and pulled on his pant leg. Looking down at the girl he said,

"May I help you Miss?"

"My name is Bessie and I'm lost!" she sniffed a little and began to tear up. When the solider got to one knee to comfort her, Tommy and a few other children crept past and up the gangplank. When they crept back out again, they found little Bessie being entertained by the solider and a few old musical sailors while she wore the soldier's hat. They gave her a thumbs up before all but Tommy ran away. Bessie handed the solider his hat and said,

"I see my big brother! Thank you for helping me sirs. I had a lovely time." The solider gave her a kiss on the cheek to which she replied,

"How romantic!" Then she dropped a curtsy and scampered off after Tommy.

Gibbs, Ana, and young Ralph sat in a boat waiting under the docks. Above little Lucy cried out,

"AGGG! My dolly! My dolly! I lost my dolly in the water!" The soldiers guarding the boat ran up to her and tried to calm her down. Gibbs helped Ralph grab onto the chain of the anchor and he started to climb up. When the boy came back down, Lucy heard a meow from Anamaria and then said,

"My kitty! It's out of the water!"

"But I thought you said you lost your doll, Miss?"

"Oh my kitty is named Dolly! I must go now and call for her! Goodbye!" And she ran off leaving the soldiers very confused.

That night, Victoria sat in the Commodore's office once again. And once again Lt. Gillette and a Lt. Groves joined them. She waited until the Commodore finished his report when she noticed a brightly colored parrot fly by the window. She smiled and when the Commodore put down his quill pen she said,

"Now Gentlemen. Where were we?"



"_Anamaria had just finished taking the bullet out of Jack's leg. It went in deep. Apparently it had hit bone. I had to practically through myself on top of Jack to prevent him from moving. His only painkiller was rum and that simply did not work fast enough. We had gotten Jack out of his wet clothes, (well Gibbs did, I had turned my back) and now with his dry knickers pulled up pass his knee, Anamaria took a spare bottle of rum, uncorked it with her teeth and then proceeded to pour the alcohol over the wound…"_

"EEEERRRRR! BLOODY HELL WOMAN! EEERRR!" shouted Jack as the rum hit his knee. Victoria held him down by his shoulders forcing him to stay still as Anamaria said,

"Do ye want an infection, Captain?"

"EER! NO!"

"Then shut up and let me work!" she barked at him. Lying his head back on the propped up pillow, Jack hissed,

"Gibbs!"

"Ay' Cap'n?" said Gibbs from his seat trying to assist Anamaria who was mixing up some herbs.

"Set course for Port Royal. We have to start dropping Miss Victoria off!"

"Oh no you don't Jack Sparrow! You're not getting rid of me that easily! I'm staying to help you." said Victoria. Jack looked up at her and said,

"A promise is a promise. ERR!"

"Yes and you can keep that promise later after you can walk around again. Which won't be for a while yet, will it Anamaria?" said Victoria dabbing Jack's forehead with a cool rag. Anamaria shook her head no and said,

"Not on that knee he won't! It's going to be at least six weeks before this wound heals. And possibly another ten to get him walking around as good as he was again! Now Jack drink this. It'll help you sleep." ordered Anamaria handing Victoria the bowl. She pressed it to Jack's lips and helped him to drink. Only he spit some back out and said,

"It's bloody awful! EERRR! Couldn't you just bash me head in with a rum bottle?"

"Don't tempt me!" said Anamaria dryly as she reached for the bandages Victoria had made.

"Drink!" said Victoria forcing the bowl to his lips again. When he failed to open his mouth, she held his nose closed until he complied. After the drought was drunk, Jack looked over to Gibbs and said,

"Well you're a lot of ruddy help!"

"Told you women on board were bad luck!" said Gibbs humorously chuckling as Ana rolled her eyes and Victoria glared. Jack laid his head back onto the pillow and sighed painfully,

"Four months! Well If I could survive without the Pearl for ten years I suppose I can deal with four months of two and a half mother hens!"

"Two and a half?" questioned Victoria. Jack looked up and Victoria and smiled weakly,

"Well Ana is only half woman you know! ERRR!"

"Opps. Must have pulled on the bandage too tight!" said Anamaria sweetly as she finished dressing Jack's knee and Gibbs barked a laugh loudly.

"And don't you worry Jack, Ana and Gibbs can handle the Pearl in your absence. You just sit back and relax!" said Victoria getting up and tucking Jack in. As the effects of the sleeping drought began to kick in, Victoria turned to see two pirates looking doubtfully at each other.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Lass, Ana and I can handle the Pearl, but who's going to handle being the captain?" said Gibbs standing up.

"I don't follow." said Victoria.

"Jack isn't like most pirate captain's Victoria. He actually has a system of attack, of strategy. Stuff we depend on to stay out of the noose! And keeping those books don't help!" said Anamaria,

"The books he has and the maps he uses are vital if the Black Pearl is to operate and make a profit. And me and Anamaria aren't skilled enough to use them." said Gibbs shaking his head.

"So you can't get on without someone keeping the books or charting maps?" asked Victoria.

"How do you think Jack Sparrow has been able to make a name for himself by sacking Nassau without firing a shot? Slipping under seven agents of the East India Company? He plans ahead. That's how Jack Sparrow makes his luck. And without someone to continue on in his place, we're going to run out of luck." said Gibbs.

"So what are you going to do?" asked Victoria.

"We need an educated hand, Miss. We need you." said Anamaria.

"ME? You want me to captain the ship?" cried Victoria.

"Only the parts we're you tell us where to go. And for keeping the books and everything. And maybe even work out some strategy for planning an attack!" said Gibbs. Looking desperately between the sleeping Jack and the two pirates Victoria said,

"Well…"

"I must warn you, Mrs. Once you help us, you'll be committing an act of piracy. Which means you'll be a pirate yourself. Are you ready for that?" asked Gibbs. Victoria looked to the faces of all present. Especially at Jack. Taking a breath she said,

"Where do we start?"

"First we have to get the crew to vote on it. But I'm sure they'll agree. Come on Ana." said Gibbs beckoning Anamaria to follow him out. Gathering up her supplies, Ana turned to Victoria and then to Jack and said,

"You might want to tell him who be the captain in his stead, …Captain." Then the black haired woman walked out. Victoria stared at Jack's sleeping form for a minute before walking over to the hammock.

"All right…how does one get into this thing?" muttered Victoria picking up her skirts.

"Ye might want to try putting your bottom in first." said a slurred Cockney from the bed. Victoria walked back over to him and said,

"Aren't you suppose to be sleeping?"

"I'm working on it…Captain." said Jack before dozing off again. Victoria smiled. He approved. And she was thrilled! Why was she thrilled? Walking back to hammock, she sat in the hammock and tested it's weight.

"Not so bad…rather comfy reaaaAAALLY!" Victoria screamed as she flipped heels over head backwards off the hammock and onto the floor with a thump. Moaning, Victoria slowly propped herself on her elbows and said,

"This is going to be a long four months."

_"And so gentlemen, I began my life as a pirate. The next morning with Jack's instructions, I set about to working on the maps. They seemed easy enough but then why shouldn't they after I had used them so often in the classroom? Gibbs and Anamaria did handle the actual sailing of the ship and I used my skills in navigation, thought slightly limited, to set a course for Tortuga, the pirate's safe haven for supplies and fun. The crew would stop by after each watch to visit with Jack who was put primarily in my charge seeing as how I had the most free time. _

_The Account books were fair enough as far as addition and subtraction. But the task of counting swag and dividing it evenly amongst a crew of over thirty grew tedious. I was in the dark, damp hold for hours at a time. Never did I appreciate sunshine until after experiencing the hold. But the book Jack had on merchant Captain's was priceless. There were enough wicked deeds and wrongdoings by these 'honest' laborers, that I almost felt guilty for reading such juicy gossip. _

_Meanwhile, Jack spent his time reading his books and discussing them with me. And then we would spend hours discussing everything else. Except for when I had to fuss over him and check his bandages._

"_Woman, must you baby me?" he'd say._

"_Well you keep acting like one. Now open your mouth." I would order. _

_Slowly, I began to help Jack try to walk a little, but most of the time he'd keep to bed. After a while, I began to tease him about his very small but developing love handles he was getting from eating three square meals and lack of activity. After which he'd just growl at me and tell me to shut up._

_And Jack told me that I also had to meet with the said informants at Tortuga to get an update on information. I was reluctant, but Jack assured me that with Gibbs by my side and the common knowledge that the crew would spread about me being Captain Jack Sparrow's wife, no one would dare try anything…"_

Victoria had never seen so many ladies of the night, drunkards and scallywags assembled in one place. Gibbs and a few of the bigger, stronger men of the crew escorted her to a lonely little dive called, "The Faithful Bride". Tortuga did not notice their arrival and apparently it was common enough for women to be escorted around by men to taverns. But then it could have been the other way around in most cases. The tavern grew silent when they stepped in. Victoria figured the crew must have already been here to tell all present the tale of Mrs. Jack Sparrow. When the room started to become loud again, Victoria said to Gibbs,

"Gibbs, why must I do this again?"

"They'll only talk to Jack usually. So you have a better chance at getting them to talk since you are expected by scared vow to be loyal to your husband." said Gibbs.

"Gibbs we were married by a justice of the peace not a priest." said Victoria as she followed him across the room.

"Same difference. Uh-oh." said Gibbs stopping.

"What?"

"Trouble." said Gibbs ushering the two crew men to be on alert. Victoria saw a tall red haired woman in a ratty red dress saunter over to them.

"Gibbs."

"Scarlet." said Gibbs acknowledging the woman.

'Perfect name.' thought Victoria as the woman eyed her up and down and said,

"You Sparrow's woman?"

"Aye." said Victoria gulping.

"Never thought I'd live to see the day." she said shaking her head.

"Don't you have a customer, Scarlet?" asked Gibbs irritated. The woman glared at him and said,

"I just wanted to see for myself what kind of woman would wind up snatching Cap'n Jack up, is all. Hold on to him, Mrs. If he can make a prostitute feel like a lady, he can make a wife feel like a queen." And with a flip of her hair, she walked off leaving Victoria to wonder how many women Jack Sparrow made feel like ladies. Gibbs led her to a secluded and rather quiet corner of the pub and sat her down at a table. Soon five gentlemen joined her table. A Dutchman, a French, a Spaniard, and two Englishmen. As they ordered their drinks, Gibbs whispered in her ear,

"Jack never gives them anything higher than two chests of gold each, Mrs."

"Thank you Gibbs." Turning her attention back to the quite men she said,

"Good evening Gentlemen."

"When I pulled into Tortuga, Senora, I was surprised to hear Captain Sparrow had taken a wife. Now…"the Spaniard raised her hand to kiss it.

"I can see he has _excellante_ taste!"

"Thank you Senor…?" asked Victoria.

"We never give our names Missus. All that matters is we know Sparrow's." said one of the Englishmen.

"Where is Sparrow by the way?" asked the Frenchman.

"Attending to other business that could not be delayed. So Gentleman, your price?" asked Victoria.

"Four." said the Frenchman.

"Five." said the Dutch.

"Three." said the Englishmen.

"_Dos, Senora_."

"The price will be two. Now gentlemen, my information?" said Victoria.



"Sparrow's Circle!" cried Groves interrupting Victoria.

"The secret circle that Jack Sparrow gets his information from! I thought it was a myth!" cried Gillette.

"I think that unless you want to be court marshaled, Gentlemen, you will stop interrupting Mrs. Sparrow! Continue please, madam." said the Commodore politely.

"Thank you, Commodore."



"_That night, I returned to the Black Pearl with my head spinning over what I had just accomplished…"_

"I've never been so scared in my life! I thought one of them would keelhaul me that very moment!" laughed Victoria as she sat on Jack's bed. Propped up against the pillows with his shirt open, Jack chuckled,

"Well, I'd just have to keelhaul them back Savvy?"

"If you can catch them." teased Victoria.

"Oh I'd stand the pain in my knee to run them through."

"I was talking about trying to catch them with those love handles!" laughed Victoria pinching the half inch of flab around Jack's exposed middle.

"Ay! Woman!" Jack growled as Victoria laughed and went back over to her hammock.

"Goodnight Jack." she sang. Jack leaned over and blew the lantern out. He sat in the dark brooding about what she had said.

"I don't have ruddy love handles." he mumbled. Then a wicked and mischievous grin spread across his face. He knew how to get back at her. And maybe have a little fun in the process. Then he heard a voice from the other side say,

"Jack? Are you asleep?"

"No Luv."

"Do you miss it?"

"Miss what?"

"Tortuga." Jack looked out the bay windows lining his wall and at the lights of the pirate town. He sighed and said,

"I'll live."

"You know I met Scarlet over there."

"Scarlet?"

"Hmm. She said I should hold on to you. That if you could make a prostitute feel like a lady you can make a wife feel like a queen." Jack felt his heart stop.

"Did she now." he said as she yawned.

"Uh-huh. Too bad we aren't really married outside of the legalities. I've never felt like a queen. It would be nice." When he heard her soft breathing, he smiled.

'Oh I'm going to have a lot of fun with this one.' thought Jack before placing his hands behind his head and settling down in his pillows.

A few days later, Victoria plotted out the route they would take in pursuit of the English vessel the Dawnbreaker. Her captain was a vile, cheap man who'd only take on a few sailors to sail forcing them to work extra watches and shifts. Plus it was a confirmed rumor that he was a spy for the Spanish. She held the map up to Gibbs and said,

"We'll follow the northwest current until we hit the southeast current there. That should catapult us into the Dawnbreaker who will probably be fighting the current which will slow her down. Her captain may be a rat but our source tells us he's also a coward. So he should give up fairly easily." They stood on the quarterdeck of the bright sunny Caribbean day as Ana took the helm. Gibbs nodded at the map and said,

"What kind of coward would become a sailor?" asked Gibbs.

"A greedy one." said Anamaria turning the wheel to the right. Victoria yawned. Gibbs grinned and said,

"Which one kept you up? The books or the Captain?"

"Both. Jack kept interrupting me and I didn't finish the books until around midnight." said Victoria flipping through the book of charts she had. Gibbs closed the book nearly on her fingers and said,

"Get to bed lass. We don't need you charting our course to the Bermuda Triangle!" he said pushing her towards the ladder.

"Are you pulling rank on me co-Captain Joshamee Gibbs?" teased and pouted Victoria beginning to make her way down slowly.

"Aye co-Captain Victoria Sparrow. I am!" he chuckled.

Meanwhile, Jack slipped one foot out of the bed, and carefully placed his injured leg down. He hopped over to the desk and pulled out a knife from the drawer. Twirling it in his fingers, he eyed the hammock. Five minutes later he heard Victoria approach and quickly hopped across the room and jumped into bed. Picking up his book just as Victoria came in, he said,

"Hello Luv." Victoria smiled and looked over Jack's bandages before stepping behind the screen to change into a fresh shirt.

"Jack?" said Victoria as he realized he was holding the book upside down. Correcting himself, he said,

"Yes?"

"Is it mutiny to force a Captain to take a nap?"

"Last time I checked, no it wasn't."

"Bother. And I was so hoping for an excuse to throw Gibbs and Ana in the brig." she said.

"Why's that?" he asked as she emerged from behind the screen finishing buttoning her shirt.

"Just to see if I could do it?" she mused making Jack laugh. Still smiling she walked over to the hammock when she noticed something rather odd.

"Oh no!" she cried.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked as if he didn't know.

"The hammock! It has this huge tear in it! I wonder how that could have happened?" she said.

"One can only wonder." said Jack.

"Now where am I to sleep? I just checked the hold, we have no spare hammocks!" she said. Jack pretended to think it over a bit.

"Well, there's with the crew. With Ana or…"

"With you?" finished Victoria as Jack turned his head to look at her.

"I'm not in much of a position to try anything Luv, what with me leg and all." he said.

"That's true." she stated.

"Of course there's always the floor, but I think we'd all be more comfortable with you sleeping in the bed, Savvy?" said Jack. She thought it over and looked at him defeated,

"I suppose we can try it." Jack scooted over and patted the empty spot on the bed. Cautiously, she walked over. She sat down and finally took the last step of laying down with her back facing Jack.

"Sleep well Luv." said Jack. A few minutes later he heard the soft repetitions of sleep coming from her. He had not stopped looking at her since she laid down. Now he leaned over her to look at her peaceful face.

"What have you gotten yourself into this time Jack Sparrow?" he whispered to himself. He began to stroke the locks laying on the bed tenderly as he said,

"I've never felt this way about anyone Luv. Not entirely sure what to do. All I do know, is wait for the opportune moment." He bent over and kissed her temple softly before rolling over and going to sleep himself.

That night, Victoria and Jack were fast asleep in bed. Well, Victoria was. Jack opened one eye at her and then slowly if not painfully began to crawl out of bed. He then crept out of the cabin, shushing the creaking door. The only one on deck would be Gibbs who would be steering the Pearl with rope while he took care of all else that needed to be adjusted. The perfect time to work out his plan.

"Who goes about? Jack!" cried Gibbs rushing to his Captain's side. Jack waved him off and hopped over to the railing.

"Shhussh! Gibbs, just out for a little midnight constitutional, exercise and physical therapy!" whispered Jack. Gibbs didn't get it until Jack looked up to the riggings.

"You're going to climb the riggings!" rasped Gibbs.

"When I was a lad who first started to sail, I found the quickest way to build muscle was to climb the riggings. So why shouldn't I try to use it to heal my knee?" whispered Jack.

"Because Miss Victoria will have your hide!" hissed Gibbs. Jack only pointed a finger at him and said,

"Not if you don't tell her."

"What!"

"You are going to take the third dog watch every night, until I can walk around on me own again Savvy?" said Jack.

"And if I refuse?" said Gibbs.

"Then I'll maroon you on an island." said Jack. Gibbs could never tell when Jack was being serious or not so he consented,

"Fine just don't break your neck!" Jack held up his hands like in prayer before climbing painfully and slowly unto the rail. After catching his breath he said,

"Keep an eye on me knee, if it starts bleeding again, bring me down."

"Aye Cap'n. But what's in your head that makes you want to risk you ever walking again?" Jack looked down and over to the cabin.

"Let's just say it's a project I'm working on." Gibbs looked towards the cabin and then realization struck him. Nodding, he said,

"Aye. That'll about do it." Smiling Jack began the slow and painful excursion up the rigging. His leg felt like it was on fire and he had to catch his breath every few minutes, but Jack found that if he lead with his left leg most of the time, it would ease the pain of the right. Twenty minutes later, Jack came back down and after a quick bill of health from Gibbs returned to his cabin. Climbing back into bed, he smiled at the still sleeping Victoria and brushed her cheek with the back of his finger lightly before drifting off to sleep.

Weeks later, Victoria walked into the cabin to find Jack slowly limping around.

"Jack! You're walking!" squealed Victoria happily. He grabbed the back of a chair and smiled at her,

"Aye and I can dress meself!" Laughing she walked over to him and helped him back into bed.

"I brought you some lunch. Do you need anything?" she asked him walking over to the table where she had placed the tray of food down.

"You can get a new book out of me trunk." said Jack watching her backside as she leaned over. She turned back around and started to fish through the truck by the bed.

"Let's see…which one haven't you read in a while?" she said looking at the titles. Jack meanwhile looked around the cabin amazed over how clean everything was.

"I never did thank you for cleaning up the cabin." he said.

"Well you're welcome." she said.

"Wouldn't be feeling guilty about not fulfilling your wifely duties are you Luv?" he asked casually. Her head snapped up and said,

"What?"

"Cleaning after me. Taking care of me while I've been hurt. Sure sounds like you're trying to be a wife to me Luv." said Jack leaning back and placing a hand behind his neck. Standing up she said,

"I'm only trying to be your friend Jack."

"Aw well. I was just saying that if you did love me and if I did love you, you would be an excellent wife…"said Jack as he took the book from Victoria who had forgotten to blink.

"Wouldn't you agree?" he finished smirking up at her. She locked eyes with him and found the wild look she had seen the night of the storm. Her insides melted from the smoldering look. Jack Sparrow was playing a game with her. She knew it. And something about this game made him feel the thrill of adventure. She didn't know what, but she'd have to step cautiously. Gulping she said,

"But doesn't it also make me an excellent friend?" she offered. Jack only replied,

"The happiest couples are the ones who are friends first, Luv."

"I…I…better see how the crew is doing!" said Victoria rushing out. Smiling to himself triumphantly, he picked up his book and muttered,

"Just a bit longer…my love…Just a bit longer."

The sun was bright, the sky was blue, but the winds were erratic. Around midday, the main mast began to snap under the weight of pressure from the blowing winds. The crew including Victoria grabbed onto ropes and pulled the mast this way and that so that Cotton and Diago the Dwarf could drop the sails and work on a make shift splint around the cracked wood so the mast wouldn't come crashing down to the deck and cause more damage. Every muscle in their bodies were straining under the pressure of the winds. Trying to keep the hair out of her face while holding onto the rope keeping the mast in place, Victoria shouted across at Gibbs,

"Quite blustery today isn't it?"

"Aye! Must be off that hurricane we passed a few days back!" he shouted pulling on the rope he and a dozen others held. Finally Cotton's parrot squawked,

"ARRK! LET HER FLY! LET HER FLY!" The crew gave one last tug on the ropes before releasing them A moment's silence was to be had to see if the mast would hold.

"THE COAST IS CLEAR!" cried the bird as his mute master gave a thumbs up. A collective breath was heard before the crew returned to other duties. Victoria tried to stretch her aching muscles when a sharp pain came from her shoulder.

"AH!" she cried.

"Lass?" said Gibbs with concern. She merely waved him off clutching and rubbing her shoulder saying,

"It's nothing! I just pulled my shoulder is all! Ooo!" Anamaria patted her arm and said,

"Go back to the cabin and rest. I'll lend ye my hot water bottle!" Turning towards the cabin she replied,

"Thank you Ana."

When she walked in the cabin, Jack looked up at her and started to laugh.

"What?" she said a little hurt.

"Ha Ha! Sorry Luv, it's just your hair! Looks like lightning struck it! Ha HA!" said Jack between laughs.

"Oh, Jack Sparrow! You're one to talk about hair! You…" she stomped over to the cracked mirror on the wall by her folding screen.

"You always have to be right don't you? Lord, it is a ruddy rat's nest isn't it?" she said running her fingers through her hair and retrieving her brush. In a few moments she had the hair almost looked like hair when Jack asked,

"So how many days till we come up on the Dawnbreaker?"

"Oh I'd say we should come across them any day no…OW!" said Victoria grabbing her shoulder.

"What's wrong?" asked Jack with concern in his voice as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Pulled my shoulder a little while ago…ooo!" she said rubbing it. Then she heard footsteps limping up behind her. She looked up in the mirror to see Jack raising his hands to her shoulders.

"Jack? What are you…yoo….ooohhh my!" said Victoria as Jack began to massage her shoulders and her neck.

"That feels heavenly!" she cooed. He said in her ear,

"Consider it a small way of showing my appreciation for all you've done on the Pearl, Milady." Victoria opened her eyes and began to examine her reflection.

"Lord, how long has it been since I had a good, long look at myself? Look at me. My skin is turning brown, My hair has grown so long and streaked by the sun. Certainly not the plain schoolteacher that left England." she said. Jack furrowed his brows.

"Plain?" he said. She shrugged and said,

"I've never been a great beauty. There's no use pretending I am or ever was. I know I'm not ugly but still…when…when no young gentlemen come to call or ask you to dance at parties, when no young men seem to notice you at all, you learn to accept things as they are and get on with your life." She looked down at the floor as she contemplated this but then a tanned hand raised her chin up until her eyes met the wild passionate eyes of Captain Jack Sparrow in the mirror.

"Now you listen to me Victoria. You are not plain, Savvy? You're not. You are the one of the most beautiful, attractive, desirable women I've ever met. Your eyes are as green as the ocean, your hair has the most wonderful shades of golden sun setting on the horizon, and your skin is as silken as a seagull's feather, and your lips as full as the sails on a windy day. You have just as many curves as the ocean itself, and you are just as strong, soothing, gentle, and wise. Plus like the ocean, you have a wild side to you just waiting to get out. You are most certainly not plain. Savvy?" he said. Victoria was trying to remember how to breath when he continued,

"If those stupid fools in England, those so called, 'gentlemen', couldn't see that pass your empty coin purse then they weren't worthy of you. So you take a good long look at yourself. For you are a great beauty, and I noticed ye, Savvy?" When he began to rub her shoulders again, she came out of her daze and whispered,

"Oh Jack…I…"

"UH-HEM!" The two turned towards the door and saw Anamaria holding up the hot water bottle, and smirking as the lazy afternoon sun streamed in behind her. Irritated Jack asked her,

"How long you've been standing there Ana, Luv?"

"Only about a few seconds." she said pitching the hot water bottled to Victoria who caught it awkwardly and mumbled,

"Thanks Ana."

"Just watch out Victoria. You might get burned." said Anamaria turning to walk away. Once she was gone, Victoria looked back up at Jack who had that same wild look to him. He winked at her before turning and limping back to bed. Jack Sparrow had just won another round of his game with her.

That night, Victoria was sleeping lightly. She couldn't get what Jack said out of her mind. He was being more than kind. He meant it. But why did he mean it? As she tried to force her mind to settle so she could drift into a deeper state of unconsciousness, a tanned hand came to rest on her stomach causing her eyes to open wide. She looked down at the hand and then at Jack. He was still fast asleep. He even was snoring a little. She took a good long look at this man who felt so comfortable around her even in the state of sleep he could reach out to her. He made her feel comfortable and uncomfortable all at the same time. He was so clever and cunning. So kind and funny and innocent at times and at others wild, thrilling, and a wicked rogue. This was the most unpredictable, spontaneous, exciting man she had ever met. And he treated her with respect, honor, and friendship. He made her feel beautiful, smart, and that she always had someone to listen to her. And he was so beautiful himself. That is, if you can call a man beautiful. Victoria wondered how handsome he would be in thirty years when his wild brown locks had turned gray, and his beard thin. Victoria knew a man like he would never loose his good looks. If anything, he'd only get more handsome as the years rolled by. She could tell just by looking at him. Then she asked herself why should she care what he looks like in thirty years?

Slowly Victoria raised her fingertips to touch the back of his hand. Then her fingers began to memorized every callous, every scar, and every nuance that was Jack Sparrow's left hand. Then she felt Jack's finger move. She froze her own. He in turn interlocked his fingers with hers and squeezed. He then replaced their joined hands back to laying on her stomach not letting go of her hand. And she didn't pull away. Instead she looked to Jack only to find him still sleeping only this time with a little grin on his lips. She smiled too and closed her eyes again ready to let sleep conquer her.

The next morning, the crew of the Black Pearl awoke to find the wreckage of a ship bobbing along in the southeast current. They pulled out the pieces until they came upon the craved name of the ship's bow. The Dawnbreaker.

"Must have not made it pass that hurricane." said Gibbs solemnly.

"Do you think we can find anything left of her? Like survivors or part of her cargo?" asked Victoria.

"Aye, we can look for both, but I have a sad feeling we'll only find some cargo." he replied.

"Would it be alright to hold services for them?" asked Victoria.

"I don't see why not. We may have been planning to rob 'em and her captain may have been a dog, but they were still sailors same as us." said Anamaria.

"We can do it tomorrow evening at sunset. After we make sure nothing survived." said Gibbs.

"I'll go tell Jack. It's time for his lunch anyway." she said making her way down to the galley leaving Gibbs and Anamaria to order the crew to see what they could find. A few minutes later, Victoria entered the cabin with a tray of bread, cheese, and chicken legs.

"I see our hen's died." said Jack as she sat the tray on his lap.

"Hmm. You know what that means. No eggs for a while." said Victoria handing him a napkin which he tucked in his shirt. As she poured him a little coffee, he said,

"Alas poor chicken! I knew him well Victoria!" She laughed loudly as he took the cup and asked

"So did you figure out what ship that bit of driftwood was?"

"Unfortunately, it was the Dawnbreaker. The crew is trying to recover any survivors or cargo as we speak." she told him.

"Hmm. That means we won't come across another ship for about another month until the odious Captain Parker comes from Port Charles. Best be tightening our belts around here, Luv." he said started to dig in on his food. She smiled and said,

"Speaking of which, that reminds me. I've noticed your love handles have disappeared and you're nice and lean again." He glared up at her.

"Woman the reason my love handles are not there is 'cause they never were there, Savvy? And besides as my wife aren't you suppose to be fattening me up?" he teased. She teased,

"Well until you can give me reason to be a wife to you Jack Sparrow, I shall not be doing so. Besides, I've never found handsome men to be so handsome with an extra few pounds on them anyway!" And with that she turned and walked out. Jack's grin spread slowly on his face. She was ready. He put his tray aside and got out of bed, his leg no longer limping but as strong as ever. He walked over to the open door and looked out keeping to the shadows. He had been able to walked without pain for a few days now but he decided not to inform anyone, especially Victoria, until he knew it was the right time. And that evening, when Victoria came back for dinner in their cabin, he would be standing in his best suit by the dinner table, get down on one knee and tell Victoria how he felt about her. How he really did want her to be Mrs. Jack Sparrow. Then with his wife by his side, he'd resume command of the Pearl and sail off into the horizon. It was the perfect plan. He smiled as he looked up towards the forecastle deck to see her laughing with Anamaria, her hair been blown back by the wind. He could hardly wait. The opportune moment had come. He turned back inside to return to his lunch. But up on the forecastle deck, Victoria looked across and saw Jack walking plainly without a limp back inside their cabin. Her mouth flew open as she thought,

'That…that…bloody pirate!' She stormed off the forecastle deck and over across to the captain's cabin. The crew detected her mood and stopped to stare at her. Gibbs called down from the helm,

"Lass? What's wrong?" Only she ignored him and kept on to the cabin determined to chew someone's ear off. Rushing inside, she made her way to Jack's spot on the bed where he had begun reading and slapped him across the face good and hard.

SNAP! He whipped his head back around before he said in a confused voice,

"Not sure I deserved that!"

"You most certainly did Jack Sparrow! You lied to me! You can walk just fine! And you broke your promise to me! No secrets remember?" she said angrily. Casually he tossed his book aside on the bed and got up. Victoria saw that wild passionate look in his eyes and began to back up slowly. Walking towards her he said,

"All right. I confess. For the last few weeks I've been sneaking out to climb the riggings. But the reason I did it was because of the even bigger secret I've been keeping from you." She stopped with her back against the cabin wall and said,

"What's that?" He leaned his hand on the wall. He locked his eyes with hers and said,

"I love you."

"What?" she whispered.

"I love you Victoria. I've been in love with you for a while now and I was merely waiting for the opportune moment to tell you. And now that it's out, tell me Victoria. Tell me what your eyes, your laughter, your smile has been telling me for months now. Tell me how you feel. Please?" he pleaded.

"I…I…I don't know Jack!" she whispered ducking under his arm and running out the door. Disregarding the crew on deck, he chased after her.

"Jack! Your walking!" said Anamaria. Ignoring her, Jack said,

"You do know Victoria! I know it and you know it! Just say it!" said Jack with pleading in his voice as he chased her around the deck.

"Jack! Can't you give me a while to think about this?" pleaded Victoria turning back in the direction of the cabin.

"If you don't love me Victoria, if you have any doubt, just say so and I'll never bother you again!" said Jack following her. Spinning around she cried out,

"Blast it Jack! I love you so much I can barely breath! GASP!" She turned red and covered her mouth as she realized the crew had heard their whole conversation. Jack advanced on her until he was looking down at her since he was a good head taller.

"Are you embarrassed because you love me, or because the crew heard something that may have best been said privately first?" he asked in all seriousness. She looked down at the deck and said,

"That the crew heard."

"Would you ever take it back?" She looked up at him and said breaking a smile,

"Never." Smiling himself he turned and walked towards Gibbs saying,

"Gibbs, weigh anchor and give the crew the night off will you? And break out the rum. Mrs. Sparrow and I are not to be disturbed, Savvy?" Gibbs smiled and winked,

"Aye, Aye Cap'n!" Then Jack turned back around and began to once again advance on Victoria.

"Jack? What do you mean? Jack? JACK! PUT ME DOWN!" cried Victoria when Jack lifted her onto his shoulder in one move and kicking the door to their cabin open in the next. As Anamaria shut the door, she said,

"Welcome back, Captain!" Jack proceeded to dump Victoria onto the bed. When Victoria opened her eyes again, she saw Jack laying almost on top of her gazing deeply in to her eyes. He leaned over and brushed her lips with his once then deepened the kiss with lips tasting like sweet rum, salty sea, and flavored with spice. When the kiss broke Jack brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes and said gently,

"Would it be asking too much for that wedding night? Or perhaps you would rather wait?" She thought it over for about a second before saying,

"I'm already your wife in heart and soul. Now I want to be your wife in every way." A deep growl came from Jack's throat as he leaned in to kiss her more forcefully, their arms wrapping around each other never wanting to let go.

Meanwhile, the crew filled their tankards in the crew's mess when Gibbs lifted his rum and said,

"A toast to Captain and Mrs. Jack Sparrow! Long life and happiness!"

"TO THE SPARROWS!" they cheered raising their glasses to the happy couple who they knew were enjoying each others company as they spoke.


	5. Chapter 5

"My dear Commodore, you look quite charming when you blush!" teased Victoria as the other two officers chuckled. Blushing even redder, Norrington cleared his throat and said,

"Pray. Continue."



"_Suffice it to say, it was a very interesting evening. As a matter of fact, I didn't wake up till mid-afternoon…"_

Victoria awoke and smiled pleasantly at the thought of what had taken place last night. She bit her lip when suddenly a tanned limb snaked under the covers and around her bare waist. Kissing her bare shoulders, Jack said,

"That was interesting!"

"Very!" replied Victoria waggling her eyebrows. She turned over to rest her head against Jack's scarred bare chest as he sat up propped up by pillows. Smiling contently, she cooed,

"Good morning Captain Sparrow!"

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Sparrow!" replied Jack. Listening to his beating heart she sighed and said,

"Mrs. Jack Sparrow. Why does that just sound heavenly?"

"Perhaps 'cause an angel said it?" whispered Jack kissing the top of her head. Then he took her hand and rubbed it again,

"How is it possible that you've been on this boat for months and your hands still feel like silk?"

"Must be the lotion I use." He kissed her palm and said,

"Remind me to buy you a whole crate of that stuff."

"Buy? Couldn't we just take a case?" teased Victoria raising a brow. He smirked down at her cocking his head to the left.

"My dear Mrs. Sparrow. I do believe I have turned you into a proper pirate!" he joked back.

"Did you ever think you'd be happy with one woman Jack? Or were you left to think true love had forgotten you like I thought it had me?" asked Victoria.

"You're the first woman to treat me like you do Luv. Not even me own mother treated me as good as you do. Who'd of thought almost seven months ago, I thought I'd rather tie the knot with the noose than some mousy little git!" said Jack.

"So that's what you first thought of me?" asked Victoria sounding a little hurt. But by the playful smile of her lips he continued,

"Well after all Luv. I'd never met you. I assumed that since you were a schoolteacher and an unmarried girl, you were an old maid based on what the major told me."

"Never make assumptions based on people you don't know, Love. Tis bad luck!" said Victoria.

"Now who said that I wonder?" mused Jack stroking her hair.

"Oh just a daft pirate captain."

"Ay!" said Jack as Victoria giggled a little.

"Too bad you promised never to return to St. Paul…I'd love to see the look on the major's face when he sees the troublesome schoolteacher the loving and devoted wife of the great Captain Jack Sparrow! And he'd be the cause of it! That old maid Miss Devon would turn her nose down on me by she'd be green with envy knowing I had a handsome husband and she had none. And my students would adore you. Well, once they got to know you. Sigh!" she said. Jack looked down at her and saw her absentmindedly watching the sun make her wedding ring sparkle in the light.

"What's bothering you Luv?" he asked with concern.

"I miss my students. They were such dears. And they don't even know I'm not only safe, but that I'm happy! And Margarite! Oh Margarite was like a second mother to me! I just wish they knew how I was doing." she said. Smiling to himself, Jack said,

"That can be arranged." Victoria lifted up her head to look at him.

Three months later in St. Paul, the sun shown brightly, the waves were beckoning to be explored and the children of St. Paul were board out their skulls. Miss Devon, had taken over the school until a proper replacement could be found. Margarite sat dozing in a corner. With her back turned, her voice monotonous, and her subject on proper grammar dull, the students drew a collective sigh.

"We should'a let them pirates raid us!" Billy Kelly muttered. Suddenly a tapping could be heard at the door. Without turning around, Miss Devon said crisply,

"Margarite!" Margarite jerked awake.

"Miss?"

"Answer the door."

"Yes Miss." said Margarite getting up and walking over to the door. But upon opening it, a bright colorful parrot flew in squawking,

"LOAD THE GUNS! LOAD THE GUNS! FIRE ALL!" The children gasped as they watched the bird attack their substitute teacher who ran out the door screeching like a banshee. The bird landed on the desk and sang,

"AND THAT IS HOW MATH CAN BE FUN! AWK!" Lucy gasped,

"That's one of Miss Baker's songs!" Margarite cautiously approached the bird. Petting it, she saw clutched in his claw a letter. She took the letter and read the handwriting addressed to the students.

"Merciful heavens! It's from Miss Victoria!" she exclaimed as the children rushed forward and cried,

"Read it! Read it!" Margarite tore open the letter and began to read,

"'_Dear Margarite and Children, _

_Where to begin! First of all, I am safe. It turns out my marriage to Captain Sparrow was a plot to get rid of me without a repeat of 'the incident' by the Major, Miss Devon, and Mrs. Murphy!"_

"Filthy dogs!" cried Tommy.

"'_At first, Captain Sparrow, who as is turns out would never hurt a woman or child in his life, agreed to take me to Port Royal once he was in no danger from the law. But time passed, circumstances changed and grew, and the Captain and I really did fall in love.'"…_

"How romantic!" sighed Bessie.

"'_Now I am his wife in every way. He is a kind man who treats me like a queen. Just the other day, he began to teach me swordplay and how to pick locks!'"…_

"Lucky!' cried Billy Kelly.

"'_I've learned how pirates really raid ships. Without a lot of violence, bloodshed and fear. In fact I've sort of become the ship's navigator. I've learned a lot of things in the last few month's children. The most important of which is not to judge someone for what they are but for who they are. Like my husband, Jack for instance. A pirate is what he is. But a good man is who he is. _

_I'm safe, happy, and in love. If you all wish to write back to me, just tie the letter's to the parrot and he will take them back. To let them know he can go, just pat his head and say, "Jack loves Victoria. Victoria loves Jack." We'll be waiting by the outer edge of the cliffs for the bird to return by midnight, so please send him back. He's trained to speak for a lovely old man Mr. Cotton who had his tongue cut out. So he's sort of needed. _

_I love you all and I will miss you very much. Never stop exploring, learning and enjoying life and all it has to offer. That is what God put us on this earth to do. We're be on our way to visit Port Royal. Jack has friends there he wishes for me to meet. So until we meet again I remain your loving teacher._

_Respectfully Yours, _

_Mrs. Victoria Sparrow_

_P.S. Margarite--did I mention Jack has beautiful brown eyes?'"_

"What does she mean by that last part, Margarite?" asked Ralph. Margarite smiled as she folded the letter.

"That their children will have beautiful brown eyes!"

"How romantic!" sighed Bessie again.

A little later, Miss Devon was dragging the Major by his sleeve while Mrs. Murphy tried to calm her frantic behavior.

"Miss Devon please!" pleaded Mrs. Murphy.

"Mr. Major you must help me destroy that fowl creature! It might have hurt the brats!" she cried as they came up to the schoolhouse. The Major sighed before beginning to open the door,

"Miss Devon, will you please stop…AHHH!" The parrot flew around their heads with a bundle of letters tied around his legs squawking,

"JACK LOVES VICTORIA! VICTORIA LOVES JACK!" Then he flew off into the sky with the children cheering and waving goodbye. The bird flew and flew until it came upon the Black Pearl anchored by the cliffs. It flew up to the quarterdeck where Jack laid his head on Victoria's lap, hat over his eyes as they enjoyed the moment's peace on the ship, sunbathing and reading Voltaire. The bird dropped down and squawked,

"JACK LOVES VICTORIA! VICTORIA LOVES JACK!" Jack jumped at this before looking around confused. Finally he lifted his hat from his eyes and spied the bird. Dryly he said,

"One of these days I'm going to shoot that bloody bird!" Patting the parrot's head and stroking his feathers, Victoria took the bundle from him and said,

"You'll do no such thing. Now, let's see. Margarite sends her blessing. Bessie drew a picture of us, and …why am I not surprised Billy Kelly asks a million questions about what it's like to be a pirate?" Then her face fell.

"What wrong?" asked Jack sitting up.

"Tommy, he's the oldest. His mother died. He said his father found some extra help so he can still go to school, but it has been a rough year. And the pub hasn't been doing so well lately." she told him sadly.

"That's a shame Luv."

"I just wish I could do something to help him!" she cried as Jack took the letter. Reading it over, he said,

"Lad's fourteen ay?"

"Aye."

"Maybe I can convince a certain pirate blacksmith to take a young apprentice." Jack mused. Victoria looked up,

"Could you Jack?"

"Blacksmiths make good money. And since Will started making custom swords he's making a small fortune. And Elizabeth can be the missing maternal figure in his life and help him grieve." said Jack.

"Of course, we'd need both parties approval first." Jack smiled at her and wiggled his eyebrows,

"Of course." She kissed his cheek and said laying her head on his shoulder,

"You're always looking for a way to make me happy aren't you?"

"You're me queen love. Me bonnie pirate queen!" he said.

"And do we rule the seas, my king?" said Victoria. Shrugging he said,

"Of course! And we're free Luv. That's what a ship is you know. It's not just a keel and a haul, a deck and a lot of sails; that's what a ship needs. But what a ship, what the Black Pearl, REALLY is…is freedom." Sighing she said,

"I love being free with you Jack!" Then they closed the gap between them and kissed sweetly.

The next day, a small dingy with Jack, Victoria, Gibbs and Anamaria pulled up next to the shadowed docks of Port Royal. Helping Victoria onto the docks, Jack looked down at Gibbs and Ana and said,

"We'll try to be back by nightfall. Just 'commandeer" an extra boat and leave it for us tied to this dock, Savvy?"

"Aye, Cap'n!" said Gibbs.

"Give our best wishes to the Turners for us!" said Anamaria. Saluting to the pair, Jack turned and escorted his wife into the bustling city of Port Royal.

"Will they like me Jack?"

"Are you kidding? They'll adore you!" he said ducking them into an alley for a moment dodging the patrolling marines. Once the coast was clear, Jack led them to a smithy with a new sign that read, 'W. Turner', under the symbol for a blacksmith. He knocked on the door and waited patiently for a polite young English accent say from within,

"It's open!" Jack opened the door and let Victoria go in first. Victoria saw a clean old smithy with tools and swords everywhere and a braying donkey attached to a wheel. A handsome young man with long straight brown hair and amber colored eyes and a trim little mustache and leather apron looked up at her and said,

"Good Day Miss! How may I…" He stopped when Jack walked into the shop behind Victoria.

"Jack! What the devil are you doing here!" Will said. Jack frowned,

"Well that's a fine hello whelp! Keep that up and I may have to beat you again at swordplay!" Will smiled wickedly,

"You didn't beat me! You broke the rules of engagement. In a fair fight, I'd kill you!" Jack smiled back as he and Victoria walked down the ramp to the middle of the room.

"Well then that don't give me reason to fight fairly then is it?" Will walked up to Jack and shook his hand.

"It is good to see you again Jack!"

"Aw to heck with it Eunuch! " said Jack pulling him into a hug. Surprised Will put on a confused look and said,

"What's gotten into you Jack?" Jack pulled away and put an arm around Victoria's shoulder.

"Me wife. Savvy?" he said wiggling his eyebrows. Looking at Victoria and looking at Jack he said in a confused manner,

"Wife?" Just then a tall slender woman with honey colored hair and dusty brown eyes elegantly dressed, stepped in with a picnic basket saying,

"Will! I've brought you lunch! The maid's father hired for us packed too much again!" Will looked to Jack and Victoria and said,

"I think that is a blessing in disguise." Elizabeth looked up and said,

"JACK?"

"Mrs. Turner. Marriage does suit you!" said Jack charmingly. She walked over to them and noticing Victoria said,

"Who's this then?" Will shrugged,

"Apparently…Jack's wife." Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at Will and said,

"Wife? Jack? Jack Sparrow?"

"Well it ain't that bloody hard to believe!" said Jack annoyed. Victoria shook her head a little and extended her hand,

"Forgive Jack's rudeness. I'm Mrs. Victoria Sparrow. And it's nice to meet you both. Jack has told me so much about you." The Turners shook her hand in a daze until Elizabeth said,

"How in the world did someone marry Jack Sparrow off?" Jack put his arm back around Victoria and said,

"It's a long story. So ye best be breaking out that picnic basket, Savvy?"

"_We had a lovely lunch. Jack told them in exaggerated detail (with me whispering the correct version in Elizabeth's ear) the account of how we met, married and fell in love. We laughed very much as I got to know the Turners and I looked forward to seeing them again. Elizabeth was a kind, cultured woman, who had a fiery spirit. Will struck me as the voice of reason with an impulsive streak which Jack claims is the pirate blood in him. Finally, as I helped Elizabeth reload the picnic basket, Jack stood and draped his arm around Will's shoulder's and said,"…_

"Well Mr. Turner. It seems I have proven you and Mrs. Turner wrong wouldn't you say?"

"What are you babbling about now?" asked Elizabeth dryly not bothering to look up from the picnic basket. And going on to explain, Jack said,

"Well I seem to recall that you two said I would never understand what it's like to love only one person since I'm such a skirt chasing cad!" Then boring his eyes deep into Victoria he said,

"I hope this afternoon has proven otherwise." Victoria looked down blushing under his gaze. Will and Elizabeth exchanged a look that said,

"The fool's in love." and smiled. Will said breaking the silence,

"So it would appear." Looking back at Will, Jack joked,

"What is it about us Mr. Turner, that two lovely, respectable ladies of the community would fall for two pirates like us ay?" Grinning mischievously, Will said,

"I am not a pirate. I am a blacksmith." Releasing Will and stepping out into the open floor, Jack pulled out his sword and said,

"Well then Blacksmith, do you still practice the art of sword fighting three hours a day or…" Jack paused looking over to Elizabeth. "perhaps you have your hands busy…elsewhere?" With the rising of Jack's eyebrows, Will pulled one of the swords off the wall and said raising it,

"Would you care to find out?" Jack ran his sword up and down Will's,

"Only a little." Victoria and Elizabeth looked dryly at each other, sighed, rolled their eyes and stepped back to give their husbands more room. The clashing of swords began. Jack parried, Will thrust, both trying to gain the advantage. Metallic sounds filled the smithy. Both men stepped fancifully, both sure in their step. They wove their way all over the smithy, sweat forming on their brows, clinging to their homespun cotton shirts. They dodged around beams and workbenches, never seeming to tire. Finally, Jack advanced and knocked the sword out of Will's hand. Looking dazed as Jack pointed his sword to his neck, Will said,

"You didn't cheat!" Jack lowered his sword and bowed,

"Told ye I'd beat ye again!" Suddenly the two men broke out in loud laughter as their wives applauded them and stepped forward. Victoria stood on her tiptoes and kissed Jack's cheek.

"Well done, Captain. But we had best be going, it's starting to get dark and it's going to take a while to walk back to the docks." she said brushing some dirt off his shoulder.

"Aw yes, the Pearl awaits." Wrapping an arm around his wife, Will said,

"I hope we see you both again."

"Yes, we don't have any friends who are married. Now it's nice to know there is at least one couple we can relate to." said Elizabeth. Jack stepped forward and raised Elizabeth's hand to his lips and said,

"Till we meet again, Mrs. Turner." As Will and Jack stepped over to retrieve their effects, Elizabeth took Victoria's hands in hers and said,

"I'm so happy for you both. Jack is a good man. He deserves a good woman."

"Thank you Mrs. Turner." On the other side of the room, Will shook Jack's hand and said,

"Every happiness my friend. You be sure to take care of her." Jack looked over at Victoria and said,

"Till the day I die." Jack then retrieved Victoria's cloak and draped it over her shoulders. As Jack and Victoria walked up to the ramp, Will put his arm around Elizabeth's shoulder and called back,

"Jack!" Jack turned from opening the door.

"Don't do anything stupid." Jack gave him a smug smile and then making sure the streets were devoid of redcoats, hurried Victoria out. A little later, the stars began to twinkle and the night sky became darker. They had not spoken since they left the smithy. Finally, Victoria said,

"You really like Will Turner don't you?"

"I can't help it. His father was very special to me. Treated me like a son. When I first came aboard a ship, he taught me the ropes. Then when we had gotten the Pearl in a raid, he nominated me, a seventeen year old kid to be her captain. Even when Barbossa took the Pearl two years later, I knew he had no part of it. Good man. Good pirate." finished Jack fixing his eyes on the road ahead.

"So…Will is like the brother you never had?" asked Victoria.

"That…would be the understatement of the year." said Jack. Finally, they came to the harbor. Dragging behind Jack as they ducked in the shadows, Victoria said,

"Everything looks clear of the law to me." Finally, ducking them behind some crates on the dock where their boat lay bobbing in the water below, Jack said,

"I don't know. I've got a bad feeling. Wait here." He was about to run off but then he paused and looked back at Victoria as if he had forgotten something, he pulled her towards him by the neck and kissed her passionately. Pulling away he whispered huskily,

"I'll always love you Mrs. Jack Sparrow. What you are is a pirate's wife. But who you are is the woman I love, Savvy?" Gulping she said as her knees melted,

"Savvy." Rushing out of his hiding place and sticking to the shadows, he tripped once, cursed his toe, and continued. Victoria watched him through the space between the shipping crates as he untied the boat looking over his left shoulder. But a mass of royal blue crept up on his right, causing Victoria's heart to quicken. Then her heart stopped when she heard a pistol trigger click and a cultured young voice say crisply,

"Jack Sparrow."


	6. Chapter 6

Victoria looked down at her hands and said,

"I believe you know the rest, Commodore." For the first time in their careers, the officers felt guilty for locking a pirate up. He was not just a pirate to the woman. He was the love of her life. That love proved a painful reminder to their humanity that pirates weren't monsters needing to be destroyed but human beings like themselves. The guiltiest of them all, Commodore Norrington said quietly,

"Would you like to see Jack now, Madam?" Nodding, she said,

"Yes please."

Jack sat in his cell looking up and out of the window at the full moon in the navy sky. He sighed remembering how Victoria looked in the moonlight. He had overheard the guard's gossip on how the wife of infamous Captain Sparrow had made a deal with the Commodore to tell her their tale provided he not hang Jack until she was done. Even thought part of him doubted it, he somehow knew his pretty wife was up to something. How he longed to hold her again! Suddenly, he looked towards the door when he heard voices coming down the stairs. He stood up and leaned against the bars. There was the Commodore looking at him with what? Respect? Couldn't be. Then the Commodore stepped aside and there Jack saw Victoria's beautiful face.

"Victoria." whispered Jack.

"Jack!" she said rushing over to him. Between the bars they kissed gently before Victoria leaned her forehead against his and said,

"I told them everything Jack. About you. Me. Us."

"Good girl." said Jack.

"But that means we've run out of time Jack. The Commodore's bound by the law to hang you tomorrow afternoon." she said sadly.

"I know." Desperately she whispered tearing up,

"I don't know how I'll survive without you. You're like those books you keep. The Black Pearl can't run without them." Wiping her tears away with his thumb he said,

"Shhh! No tears now. What about you? You are a pirate yourself now. Aren't you going to get hung?"

"The Commodore says I'm to spend a little time in prison, but that's it right now."

"Good. 'Cause that neck's too pretty for a rope necklace." joked Jack solemnly.

"I'm sorry. Time's up Mrs. Sparrow." said the Commodore sadly. Jack said annoyingly,

"Surely Commodore, I'm allowed one last kiss?"

"I wouldn't have things any other way." said the Commodore. Then Jack locked eyes with Victoria and saw a glint of something. Something like a secret. She locked lips with him and passionately kissed him. But what surprised Jack most was she was forcing her tongue in. She barely liked to French kiss! Then he felt something small, hard and metal in his month. She pulled away and smiled sadly but her eyes spoke of a plan. As she was led away, leaving Jack alone down in the cells, he took the booby pin out of his mouth and grinned.

"Good girl." he whispered before getting to work on the lock.

The next morning, Victoria had been locked in the barracks. She knew the men guarding her door had dozed off from the sound of their snoring. Frantically, she kept trying to work the pin in her lock begging with it,

"Please, please, please!" But when her lock pick broke, she gritted her teeth in frustration and stood up to lean against the door.

"Blast it! That was not a part of the plaaaaAAANN!" She fell through the opening door and into someone's arms. She opened her eyes and realized it was Jack.

"Jack!" she breathed.

"Obviously, we've got a lot of work to do before you can pick a decent lock!" he said jokingly serious before planting a kiss on her lips and helping her up. Holding onto Jack's hand for dear life, Victoria stepped over the unconscious guards on the floor. They ducked around a corner and Jack said,

"Well, Madam. I hope you know a way out of here besides the front gate!"

"The Commodore's off inspecting the harbor. I saw him leave through my window. I thought we'd sneak out the window of his office!" she said as Jack turned to grin at her,

"The Commodore's office aye? Milady, I like your style!" Victoria took his hand and led him down the corridors avoiding redcoats until they got into the office. Checking to see no one was about, Victoria and Jack rushed inside. But instead of heading to the window, Jack stepped over to the Commodore's liquor cabinet.

"Jack what are you doing?" hissed Victoria. Jack opened the doors saying,

"Just taking a souvenir, Luv!"

A little later, Commodore Norrington, walked out of the now empty barracks where two ex-sergeants now privates sat with cold towels on their throbbing heads. He walked down the hall to his office with Gillette. But when he opened his door, he saw his curtain now a torn scrape of makeshift rope tied with a sailor's knot, hanging out his open window with the Caribbean breeze blowing it's companion softly in the breeze.

"Commodore!" said Gillette in shock. Stepping over to his liquor cabinet, the Commodore said,

"I see it, Lieutenant!" Taking a note addressed to him the Commodore opened it just as Groves burst in the room saying,

"Commodore! All the rudder chains in the harbor have been damaged beyond repair! And there is not a trace of the Sparrows anywhere!" Nodding with a slight smirk on his lips, the Commodore read the letter aloud,

"_My Dear Commodore Norrington, _

_My wife and I thank you for your hospitality. You understand that our one year anniversary is coming up, so I need not explain to you that I needed to take my lovely wife on a much deserved honeymoon. We thank you also for the bottle of wine, we shall enjoy it immensely._

_Kindest personal regards, _

_Captain and Mrs. Jack Sparrow_"

Folding up the letter, he smiled and looked out at the ocean's horizon seeing the Black Pearl at full sails sailing towards the sun.

"God speed, Mrs. Sparrow. Captain. God speed and good luck."

The red wine sparkling like a gemstone poured effortlessly into Victoria's glass. She looked up to her husband who now poured himself a glass as they sat on the railing of the Black Pearl around the ship's waist. His eyes sparkled devilishly at her before he said putting down the wine bottle,

"Well, Mrs. Sparrow. What do we drink to? A successful escape? A long marriage? Or future children?" She raised an eyebrow in surprise,

"YOU want children?"

"Well not right now. But eventually. Besides…half the fun is getting there…Savvy?" he said grinning his golden teeth at her. She smiled and said,

"Savvy." They clinked glasses and sipped their wine.

"Wait a moment." said Jack before leaning in to kiss her passionately. When he pulled back, he said,

"Just wanted to see how good wine tastes on a wife's lip." Smiling, she teased,

"Jack…the crew is watching!" Jack looked around confusingly at his crew who stood by watching with approval. Shrugging he looked back down at her and said,

"Let 'em watch. Maybe they'll learn something!"

"So now you're the schoolteacher and I'm the pirate captain?" she teased. He grinned.

"Mmm hmm!" he nodded before kissing her once more. She placed her left hand on his face, the sun catching every sparkle and light from with the black opal that was the wedding band of the soon legendary Mrs. Jack Sparrow.

The End


End file.
